Mikhail Khodorkovsky arrives in Germany after Putin pardon

One of Russia's most famous political prisoners, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, has arrived in Germany, hours after being pardoned by President Vladimir Putin and freed from a decade in jail.

Russian prison officials said the former tycoon, 50, had requested travel papers to see his sick mother there.

His parents told the AP news agency that they were still in Moscow but were planning to fly to Germany, where she has been treated in the past.

Mr Putin earlier said he had signed the pardon on "the principles of humanity".

Bridget Kendall reports.