Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev died Tuesday, August 30, at the age of 91 in Moscow, Russian media reported.
Gorbachev, who served as a Russian lawyer and politician, passed away, according to statements of the Central Clinical Hospital - TSKB, the hospital where the last president of the Soviet Union was hospitalized, who died "after a long and serious illness".
The former Soviet leader, born on March 2, 1931 in Privolnoye, Russia, graduated from the Law Faculty of Moscow State University and led the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1985 to 1991, implementing the reforms of Glastnost and Perestroika, which sought greater transparency and restructuring, as well as the internal democratization of the party.
By 1990 he was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize, as he reached an understanding 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 the USSR dissolved. Despite the changes he was part of and the recognition he received in many parts of the world, he was blamed for the end of the Soviet Union.
Thus, at the age of 90 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 should be noted that Gorbachev was one of the main critics of Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, as on several occasions he denounced corruption and even asked for the resignation of the Russian president.
However, Gorbachev won the acclaim of the international community and received the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1990 for his role in ending the Cold War and reunifying Germany.
His remains will be buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, where the grave of his wife and other prominent people of the country is located, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen mourned the decline via her Twitter account. "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. R.I.P. Mikhail Gorbachev".
According to the Interfax agency, Vladimir Putin himself expressed "his deepest condolences for Gorbachev's death," said his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov.
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