Moscow August 31, : Mikhail Gorbachev, Russian Nobel Peace laureate and the last head of the Soviet Union, has died in Moscow at the age of 91. “This evening, following an extremely long and severe disease, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev died,” the Central Clinical Hospital (CCH) in the Russian capital of Moscow announced at the end of Tuesday.
The statesman will be buried alongside his wife in Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery, the burial location of many of the most famous Russian composers, writers, and politicians.
The world-renowned statesman was often credited with his role in bringing the Cold War to a peaceful conclusion and for his crucial role in German unification.
East Germans in particular still respect “Gorbi,” as the man who gave them freedom more than three decades years ago.
The 1980s were a time of great change.Under the leadership of Gorbachev the Soviet Union concluded groundbreaking treaties with the United States on nuclear disarmament and arms control.Meanwhile in the home front, Gorbachev initiated an unprecedented reform process with his policies of “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (restructuring), which gave unprecedented freedom to millions of people.
In the year 1990, Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize for his bold reforms.However, the huge economic turmoil that followed throughout the Soviet Union ultimately led to the fall of the 15-nation empire of communism and to Gorbachev’s political decline, as the country he was the leader of dissolved in 1991.
A large percentage of the Russian populace always believed that Gorbachev as the former state and party head as the gravedigger of the Soviet Union — and as a politician with no ability to rule and Gorbachev did not enjoy the huge popularity he enjoyed in the West in his home country.
Gorbachev quit as the President of the Soviet Union in 1991 as the state decided to break up, and created 15 new states that were independent.
Staunch Gorbachev opponent Boris Yeltsin became an independent Russia’s first president in the same year and Gorbachev was generally dismissed as a man from the past.
In the time between his demise until his death, Gorbachev made significant contributions to Russian civil society with his foundation named after him, which emphasized democratic values and the Russian reconciliation with the West.
Gorbachev also wrote a variety of books and the most recent one about his displeasure with Germany as well as the West.Particularly, he lamented what he considered to be Russia constantly being portrayed as a foe.
In a position to miss the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in autumn 2019 due to health reason, Gorbachev had regular medical treatment in the past few years.
Gorbachev was the co-founder of the publication Novaya Gazeta, which is critical of the Kremlin and frequently exposes inhumane practices in Russia.
In recent times, Gorbachev had repeatedly called for Russian President Vladimir Putin not to further restrict the freedom of the media and of elections.
Putin expressed his sympathy when he heard of Gorbachev’s demise and would send an e-mail of condolences to the Gorbachev family on Wednesday morning, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters late on Tuesday evening.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Gorbachev a “one-of-a kind statesman who reshaped the course of the course of history,” in a statement that expressed his condolences.
“He was more successful than any other person to bring about the peaceful ending of the Cold War,” Guterres declared.
Guterres stated that when Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990, he observed that “peace is not unity in similarities, but rather the unity in the diversity”.This was a stance he applied through the pursuit of negotiation reform, transparency, and disarmament the UN chief stated.
“The world has lost a powerful global leader, a committed multilateralist and unwavering advocate for peace.” he added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Gorbachev as a “trusted and revered leader”.
“He played a key role in ending the Cold War and bring down the Iron Curtain.
It opened the way to an open and democratic Europe.This is a legacy we will never forget,” she said.
The outgoing British PM Boris Johnson said he was shocked to learn of Gorbachev’s passing.”In the midst of Putin’s brutality in Ukraine his unwavering dedication to opening up Soviet society is an inspiration to all of us,” he added.
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