BBC stages political debate in Moscow

President Putin has put energy security at the top of the G8 agenda

BBC One's flagship political programme Question Time staged a debate in Moscow on Thursday, 30 March.

The guests included Russian deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin, and prominent government critic and chess legend Garry Kasparov.

Also taking part was British foreign minister Douglas Alexander.

Completing the panel were economist Andrei Illarionov, Natalia Narochnitskaya of the Motherland Party, and industrialist Igor Yurgens.

The programme went out as President Putin prepares to host the G8 for the first time.

Kasparov has strongly opposed Russia's leadership of the G8, and criticised Western countries for their support of President Putin.

Kasparov helped set up Committee 2008, a group dedicated to bringing down Mr Putin and stopping the constitution being changed so that he could run for a third term.

The programme looked at Russia's role in the world, 15 years after the collapse of communism and the Soviet Union.

QUESTION TIME IN MOSCOW BBC One: Thursday 30 March, 2235 BST BBC World: Saturday 1 April 1510GMT & 2010GMT Sunday 2 April 1110GMT Profiles of the panel

The audience was be made up of English-speaking Muscovites and Westerners living in the Russian capital.

It can be watched online and on BBC World this weekend.

Subjects which came up included Russia's hosting of the G8 and the imposition of sanctions on Iran.

Question Time in Moscow:
BBC One: Thursday 30 March 2235BST/2135GMT
BBC World: Saturday 1 April 1510GMT & 2010GMT, repeated Sunday 2 April 1110GMT
Watch online any time at the Question Time website