Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev died on Tuesday, August 30, in Moscow at the age of 91, Russian media reported.
Gorbachev, who served as a Russian lawyer and politician, has died, according to statements from the Central Clinical Hospital (TSKB, in Russian), the hospital where the last president of the Soviet Union was hospitalized, who died "after a long serious illness."
The former Soviet leader, born on March 2, 1931 in Privolnoye, Russia, graduated from the Faculty of Law of Moscow State University and led the Soviet Union –USSR– between 1985 and 1991, implementing the Glastnost and Perestroika reforms, which sought greater transparency and restructuring, as well as the internal democratization of the party.
In 1990, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for reaching an agreement with leaders Margaret Thatcher (United Kingdom) and Ronald Reagan (United States) that helped end the Cold War.
Gorbachev resigned as leader of the USSR on December 21, 1991, following the dissolution agreement with Ukraine and Belarus, at the same time as the USSR dissolved. Despite the changes he was a part of and the recognition he had in many parts of the world, he was blamed for the end of the Soviet Union.
Thus, at 90 years of age and after living away from the media due to health problems, Mikhail Gorbachev acknowledged in an interview that he did not think of using force to keep the USSR united, since the country was already full of nuclear weapons.
It is worth noting that Gorbachev was one of the main critics of Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, as he denounced corruption on several occasions and even called for the Russian leader to resign.
Nevertheless, Gorbachev won international acclaim and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1990 for his role in ending the Cold War and reunifying Germany.
His remains will be buried at Moscow's Novodevichy Cemetery, which contains the graves of his wife and other prominent Russian figures, according to Russian news agency TASS.
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen expressed her condolences on Twitter: “Mikhail Gorbachev was a trusted and respected leader. He played a crucial role in ending the Cold War and bringing down the Iron Curtain. He paved the way for a free Europe. It is a legacy we will not forget. RIP Mikhail Gorbachev.”
According to the Interfax news agency, Vladimir Putin himself expressed "his deepest condolences on the death of Gorbachev," said his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov.
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