Vladimir Milov is a Russian opposition politician, publicist, economist, and energy expert. In 1997-2002, Mr. Milov worked with the Russian Government (Federal Energy Commission and Ministry of Energy), including being a Deputy Energy Minister in 2002. He was the author of the concept to break up and unbundle Gazprom vetoed by Vladimir Putin. Later, Mr. Milov became one of the major public critics of Vladimir Putin, working closely with late opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, and later as an advisor to the late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. He is a Research Associate at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies in Brussels and Vice President of the Free Russia Foundation (Washington D.C.). Currently based in Vilnius, Lithuania. He is a frequent commentator on the Russian political and economic developments and the impact of Western sanctions on Russia.