At the age of 91, Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, passed away.
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| [Mikhail Gorbachev] |
The last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, passed away on the evening of December 30 at the age of 91 due to "prolonged illness," according to a statement released by Russia's Central Clinical Hospital. Gorbachev was able to bring an end to the Cold War without any major casualties being sustained, but he was unable to prevent the demise of communism and the Soviet Union.
The official Russian news agency TASS reports that Mikhail Gorbachev was born on March 2nd, 1931. In 1955, he received his law degree from Moscow State University, and he continued his education at the Stavro Stavropol Agricultural Institute later on.
In 1952, Mikhail Gorbachev became a member of the Communist Party, and in 1971, he was elected to the Central Committee. In 1985, after the passing of the previous leader of the Soviet Union, Konstantin Chernenko, Gorbachev was appointed to the position of general secretary of the Soviet Central Committee. Encourage the practice of glasnost, often known as the open-door policy, as well as political and economic rebuilding reform (perestroika). Gorbachev won the election in March 1990, becoming the first and final president of the Soviet Union. He also received the Nobel Peace Prize in the same year. On December 25, 1991, Gorbachev announced that he would be resigning from his position.
According to Reuters, when he was in office, Mikhail Gorbachev collaborated with Western nations to bring about the fall of the Iron Curtain, which had been dividing Europe since the end of World War II, and to further the process of German unification. However, the changes that he implemented inside his own country ended up weakening the Soviet Union, which the current Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has referred to as "the biggest geopolitical tragedy" of the 20th century.
According to the Associated Press, the conclusion of Gorbachev's presidency might be described as "embarrassing" in its entirety. Not only was he the target of an attempt to overthrow him, but he also watched as republics in Eastern Europe declared independence. However, 25 years after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, in an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, he said that he had not considered using extensive coercive force to maintain the Soviet Union because he was worried that the Soviet Union would lead to a civil war. In other words, he was concerned that the Soviet Union would lead to a conflict within itself.
According to reports from TASS news agency, Mikhail Gorbachev's burial will take place at the Novo-Dyevitchiye cemetery in Moscow, near to his wife. Following his passing, the presidents of a number of nations sent their sympathies to his family. According to a statement released by the Kremlin, which was cited by the TASS news agency, Putin expressed his sincerest condolences over Gorbachev's passing and promised to formally convey those condolences to Gorbachev's family the following morning.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden also released a statement of condolences, describing Gorbachev as a "rare leader" who not only has the imagination to see a different future is possible, but also has the courage to risk his career, and the result is a safer world and greater freedom for millions of people. Biden called Gorbachev a "rare leader" in his statement.
Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has said that he has always respected Mikhail Gorbachev for his "courage and integrity" in overseeing the peaceful conclusion of the Cold War. Now, Gorbachev is unrelentingly opening up while Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine. The former Soviet Union has emerged as the most successful model for all spheres of human endeavor.
Gorbachev was referred to be a "representative of freedom" by French President Emmanuel Macron, who also said that Gorbachev's decision and devotion to freedom "changed the collective history of Europe."
Gorbachev was hailed as a "trusted and respected" leader by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. She said that he was instrumental in bringing an end to the Cold War and "paved the way for an open Europe." "Won't forget" his accomplishments in the future.