Mikhail Gorbachev, the last general secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and the only president of the USSR, died at the age of 92.
Gorbachev passed away after a long illness, the Central Clinical Hospital confirmed in a statement released this evening. The news was reported by TASS, which noted that he would be laid to rest at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow in a family service beside his late wife.
Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian president, conveyed condolences on behalf of Vladimir Putin and said a formal telegram would be sent to the family and friends in the morning. European leaders joined in mourning as well; Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, offered her sympathies.
In remarks accompanying the death, Peskov highlighted Gorbachev as a respected leader whose actions helped end the Cold War and bring down the Iron Curtain, emphasizing that his legacy opened a path toward a freer Europe in which the EC president played a paving role.
socialbites.ca collected five vivid statements of the politician:
On confrontation with the West:
Gorbachev warned that renewed talk of a clash between East and West, a new arms race, and another Cold War could force Russia to reset its approach. In a January 11, 2021 interview with RIA Novosti, he stressed that Russia favored dialogue and believed many in the West shared a belief that the current tensions could not endure for years without a political will to sustain normal interaction. He suggested that engagement, rather than escalation, was essential to maintaining relations.
On the collapse of the Soviet Union:
In a 2020 interview with The Times, he reflected that preserving unity might have produced a different global landscape. He suggested that such a world would likely have been more stable, safer, and fairer, though he acknowledged that history cannot reveal the exact mood of the moment.
On the future of Russia:
Speaking on the thirtieth anniversary of the August 1991 coup, Gorbachev expressed that the democratic course was the only viable path for the country’s development and for solving its challenges. His stance emphasized faith in political reforms as the engine of progress.
On nuclear weapons:
Answering critics of nuclear deterrence, he asserted that nuclear weapons had contributed to dangerous perceptions in a dangerous world and dismissed the notion that they alone guaranteed peace, according to remarks reported by TASS.
On personal reflections:
He once remarked that he did not feel alone or forgotten, apart from the absence of Raisa, his late wife, a sentiment he shared in a 2019 interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda.
long-term illness
Mid-June reports from TASS, citing people close to Gorbachev, indicated that the former Soviet leader remained under constant medical supervision. The Mash Telegram channel claimed that his condition had occasionally deteriorated and that he had recently undergone kidney dialysis in a Moscow hospital, with his blood being cleaned periodically.
Observers noted that he had been hospitalized in 2020 during the pandemic for medical reasons tied to age and safety. As a former president, access to hospital care was available, and doctors described his age as a factor in his ongoing medical regimen. At the time, sources cautioned that his condition had not worsened overall.
Gorbachev has long dealt with kidney disease. The Gorbachev Foundation confirmed in the early summer that he had undergone hemodialysis for several years. A spokesperson for the foundation described his general condition as fluctuating but not catastrophic, acknowledging that age-related ailments persist and demand ongoing care.
Life path and career
Born on March 2, 1931, in the village of Privolnoye, Gorbachev came from a peasant family. His father worked at a machine and tractor station as a machine operator, and his mother spent her life on a collective farm. At 15, he began work as an assistant combine operator, earning recognition for his efforts in grain harvesting with the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1949. This award helped him gain admission to Moscow State University a year later, culminating in a law degree from the Gorbachev Law School in 1955.
His political ascent began in 1971 when he joined the Central Committee of the CPSU. In 1978, he was elected Secretary of the Central Committee with responsibility for agriculture. Gorbachev rose to the highest state post in 1985, quickly steering the USSR toward a new political course. He led the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, proposed creating the post of president, and advocated constitutional reforms that reduced the Communist Party’s grip on leadership. The words perestroika and glasnost entered global discourse during this era, signaling a transformation in political openness and economic reform.
In 1990, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his pivotal role in shaping an era of international peace and cooperation. He resigned as president of the USSR on December 25, 1991, and the following day the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Records maintained by the Gorbachev Foundation show no formal archive of his resignation in the role of head of state.
After leaving office, Gorbachev engaged in social and literary work, publishing dozens of books in multiple languages since 1992 and appearing in cinema, notably in Wim Wenders’ Sky Over Berlin 2. His legacy continues to be debated for its impact on global politics, diplomacy, and civic life.