Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to pardon former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky after receiving a pardon request signed by the ex-Yukos CEO personally, his spokesman told AFP. "Vladimir Vladimirovich received a pardon request," his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP. He said the request had been submitted "recently" and had been "signed" by Khodorkovsky. Spokespeople and defence laywers for the former oil tycoon said they had no knowledge of any such request.