Jakarta, IO – Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev died on Tuesday (30/8) at the age of 91. According to a statement issued by a hospital in Moscow, Gorbachev succumbed to illness.
Gorbachev is survived by a daughter, Irina, and two granddaughters. Russia’s official Tass news agency reported that he would be buried in Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery next to his wife Raisa Maximovna Titorenko.
During his tenure, Gorbachev was known as a visionary leader who shaped the Soviet Union to more humane and flexible with extraordinary powers. Gorbachev initiated a series of fundamental changes but failed to prevent the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev promoted more peaceful international relations and was also instrumental in ending the Cold War. He is praised for his important role in the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent reunification of Germany. Thousands of political prisoners were released and millions who knew only about communism tasted their first freedom. For his outstanding leadership and contribution to the overall progress of global development, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.