The two members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, who were released from prison, have dismissed the amnesty as a "PR stunt" ahead of the Winter Olympics being hosted by Russia in February.

Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were released about two months before their prison sentences were due to end. The release was approved last week when Russian lawmakers backed a sweeping amnesty law announced by Putin.

Tolokonnikova left the prison hospital in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, on Monday afternoon.

Appearing healthy and calm, she shouted "Russia without Putin" as she emerged.

"They [the government] just put on another show ahead of the Olympics," she said of the amnesty.

"Such is their big desire to prevent all European countries from boycotting our Russian Olympics."

"Such is their big desire to prevent all European countries from boycotting our Russian Olympics."

"But let us remember about all those people who are not much talked about and are even forgotten but who still need to come out of their jails as they don't belong here."

She called for reform of Russia's prison system, and said she and Alyokhina would now form a group to engage in the human rights movement.

Alyokhina, released earlier on Monday, told Russian TV that her views of President Putin had not changed and that the amnesty was "a profanation" and "a PR exercise".

"If I had a choice to refuse [the amnesty], I would have, without a doubt," she added.

Russian media quoted a friend of Alyokhina as saying she had wanted to serve out her sentence as she was concerned for the safety of fellow prisoners and wanted to protect them.

Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova were both convicted after performing an obscenity-laced song called Punk Prayer in Moscow's Christ the Saviour cathedral in February 2012.

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