FORMER According to Russian media, Mikhail Gorbachev, the president of the Soviet Union, has passed away.
The historical person went away at the age of 91.
Officials from Central Clinical Hospital were quoted by Russian news organisations in their Tuesday night announcement of Gorbachev’s passing.
Gorbachev’s office earlier reported that he was receiving medical care in the hospital, but they did not specify what caused his passing.
Gorbachev is best remembered for putting an end to the Cold War without a fight. He was unable to stop the Soviet Union from falling, though.
Gorbachev, according to Sir Keir Starmer, was “one of the most influential people from the previous century who will always be remembered.
The Labour Party’s leader stated in a tweet: “Mikhail Gorbachev, one of the great leaders of the 20th century, paved the way for diplomacy to triumph over war with his drive of reform.
He will always be regarded as the final Soviet leader to have the guts and conviction to put an end to the Cold War.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that he is “saddened” to hear that Mr Gorbachev has died, in a “time of Putin’s aggression in Ukraine”.
In a Twitter post, he said: “I’m saddened to hear of the death of Gorbachev.
“I always admired the courage and integrity he showed in bringing the Cold War to a peaceful conclusion.
“In a time of Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, his tireless commitment to opening up Soviet society remains an example to us all.”
Russian journalist Alexei Venediktov revealed that Mikhail Gorbachev was “upset” his life’s work was being undone by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
He said: “I can tell you that he is upset. Of course, he understands that…this was his life’s work.
“Freedoms were brought by Gorbachev. Everyone forgot who gave freedom to the Russian Orthodox Church? Who was it? Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev.
“The freedom of press, the first media law, who brought it? Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. Private property? Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev.’
“So what would [Gorbachev] be able to say now?”
Liberal economist Ruslan Grinberg said to news source Zvezda on June 30 after visiting Mikhail Gorbachev in the hospital: “He gave us all freedom – but we don’t know what to do with it.”
Gorbachev warned the world was in “colossal danger” in recent years “stating that in order to rescue the planet and humanity, all nuclear weapons must be dismantled.
According to the former president of the Soviet Union, as long as there are weapons of mass destruction, there will be friction between Russia and the West.
He stated the following in a BBC interview: “The threat is enormous as long as weapons of mass devastation, particularly nuclear weapons, exist.
“The elimination of nuclear weapons should be a global goal. This is for both our own and the planet’s sake.”
How did Gorbachev die?
- According to the Interfax, TASS, and RIA Novosti news agencies, Gorbachev passed away “after a serious and protracted illness,” according to the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow.
According to rumours, the former Soviet leader had kidney issues for a long time and was receiving dialysis.
He apparently spent the Covid epidemic confined to a clinic.