Dear Professor Bak,

[posic]

the dangerous recent developments between Russia and Ukraine put me in a difficult life
position, certainly for the next several months or so. As someone who was thinking about
the Russian politics for decades, my view of the perspectives of the present crisis is now
most grim.

I was also a very outspoken opponent of Putin's regime since his ascent, and of post-Soviet
Russia's aggressive internal and external policies generally since their beginning in
the '90s (and through the present crisis, too). I have every reason to believe now that
staying in Russia any further may become very unsafe both for me, in a matter of weeks,
and for my family members, in a matter of months.

I left Moscow for Prague in the beginning of this week, but my Schengen visa expires soon,
and then I will have to go elsewhere. I do not know where I may find myself in two months,
or in three months, etc. I also do not know what kind of effort may be required on my
part to protect my loved ones, or what kind of employment I may have to take to support
myself once I run out of my very limited liquid assets.

All of this being said, I will try to do my best to prepare my referee's report on the paper
by <....> within three months.

Sincerely yours,
Leonid Positselski

20.03.2014, 06:02, "Anthony Bak" wrote:

> Dear Prof. Positselski,
>
> A little over a month ago, we sent you request (found also below) to referee the paper
>
> <...>
>
> We would greatly appreciate if could you tell us within a few days whether or not you will be able to referee the paper ?
>
> Thanking you for your cooperation,
> sincerely yours,
> A. Bak