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A man of history - 7th September 2022

President Mikhail Gorbachev has passed away at the age of 91. As General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1985 and 1991, he's credited with bringing the Cold War to an end.

Gorbachev headed ground-breaking disarmament negotiations with US president Ronald Reagan. President Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his leading role in improving East-West relations.

Western powers praised Gorbachev for de-escalating the Cold War and not crushing popular uprisings with Soviet troops. However, the fall of the Berlin Wall and Eastern bloc independence made Gorbachev a divisive figure within the Soviet Union.

After being appointed leader in 1985, aged 54, Gorbachev brought a fresh approach to Soviet government. Brushing aside dogma, he instead emphasised restructuring, termed 'perestroika', and 'glasnost' or openness. His reforms introduced elements of liberal economics into the Soviet command economy.

However, this inadvertently worsened the country's economy and strengthened independence movements across the empire. This hastened the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Gorbachev stood down on 25th December, 1991.

Mikhail Gorbachev: "I resign with a feeling of anxiety, but also with hope and faith in you, in your wisdom, in your strength of spirit."

Leaving office, Gorbachev found a role speaking on the international lecture circuit. He promoted educational and humanitarian causes and helped finance Russia's first post-communist, independent newspaper.

He remained on the sidelines of Russian politics, from time to time calling for better relations with the United States, but had kept silent on the Russian war in Ukraine.