MOSCOW. March 18 (Interfax) - Former Yukos chief Mikhail Khodorkovsky has said that he is not depressed and that his years in prison have not frustrated him.

"I am not depressed, and I do not have haunting dreams. Let petty evil spirits drink hypnotics, or just drink," Khodorkovsky told the Sobesednik newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday.

Asked whether he hopes that his second trial will end up a just decision and whether it is worth continuing the struggle, the businessman said: "Do I hope? Always! Will I struggle? No doubts The one who moves will cross the road."

Khodorkovsky also confirmed that he is not going to return to the oil and gas business. "I am not interested in making money as it is any more. Firstly, I plan to go in for alternative energy, which I would rather call the new energy, given its future place in the economy."

"Secondly, the 'left turn' which I wrote about back in 2005, and many rapped me for this then, has occurred on the global scale. It is likely that not all of my ideas are faulty. Finally, no false modesty, I am a good anti-crisis manager. I think I will be in demand in this capacity," Khodorkovsky said.

Making advice to businessmen amid the global economic crisis, the businessman said: "My principal advice to businessmen: crises are times for rebuilding and retuning, times for courageous decisions. Now one should think about his place in the post-crisis world rather than survival. This is the only way to win; otherwise the game is not worth the trouble."

Asked whether he hates Vladimir Putin, Khodorkovsky said: "The relationshiop between myself and Vladimir Putin is entirely mutual. Although I try to treat him as a historic figure not as my former party to conversation. There was such a president in Russia, and there is not such a president now. It is for the next generation to say whether he ruled Russia well or badly."

Expressing his attitude to the incumbent Russian president, the former Yukos chief said: "I respect Dmitry Medvedev as a legitimate Russian president, though I cannot quite understand his political views. He would not have robbed Yukos, and he may have no fear of Platon Lebedev and me. The future will reveal the rest."