Russia bids farewell to Mikhail Gorbachev
Gorbachev, who died Tuesday at the age of 91, will be buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery next to his wife, Raisa, following a farewell ceremony at the Pillar Hall of the House of the Unions
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Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died Tuesday at the age of 91, will be buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery next to his wife, Raisa, following a farewell ceremony at Pillar Hall of the House of the Unions, near the Kremlin that has served as the venue for state funerals since Soviet times. AP
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The Kremlin’s refusal to declare a state funeral reflects its uneasiness about the legacy of Gorbachev, who has been venerated worldwide for bringing down the Iron Curtain but reviled by many at home for the Soviet collapse and the ensuing economic meltdown that plunged millions into poverty. AP
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Under Gorbachev, the Berlin Wall crumbled, thousands of political prisoners were released and millions of people who had known only communism got their first real taste of freedom. But he was unable to control the forces he unleashed — and ultimately waged a losing battle to salvage a crumbling empire. AP
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The Russian public has remained divided over Gorbachev’s legacy, with some praising him for ending the Cold War and shedding seven decades of totalitarian rule and others accusing him of betrayal. AP
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Thousands of mourners lined up Saturday to pay tribute to former Soviet leader. Mourners passed by Gorbachev’s open casket flanked by honorary guards, laying flowers as solemn music played. AP
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Despite the choice of the prestigious venue, the Kremlin stopped short of calling it a state funeral, because if it had declared a state funeral for Gorbachev, it would have made it awkward for President Vladimir Putin to ignore the event. AP
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Putin, who once bemoaned the collapse of the Soviet Union as the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century,” has avoided explicit personal criticism of Gorbachev but has blamed him for failing to secure written commitments from the West that would rule out NATO’s expansion eastward. AP
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Upon entering the building, mourners saw honour guards flanking a large photo of Gorbachev standing with a broad smile, a reminder of the cheerful vigour he brought to the Soviet leadership after a series of dour, ailing predecessors as Gorbachev’s daughter, Irina, and his two granddaughters sat beside the coffin. AP
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who often has been critical of the Western sanctions against Russia, attended the farewell on Saturday. AP
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Gorbachev was proud of his part in bringing an end to the Cold War and the nuclear arms race, and wanted that legacy preserved. The farewell viewing was shadowed by the awareness that the openness he championed has been stifled under Vladimir Putin. AP
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