Gorbachev Was a Politician Who Had Huge Impact on World History - Putin

Former President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev has died at the age of 91, the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow stated on Tuesday.

Mikhail Gorbachev was a politician who had a huge impact on world history, said Russia's President Vladimir Putin in a letter of condolence, published by the Kremlin.

"Please accept our deep condolences on the death of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. Mikhail Gorbachev was a politician and statesman who had a huge impact on the course of world history," Putin said.

Gorbachev died in Moscow on August 30 at the age of 91 after suffering a long illness.

The first and last president of the USSR understood that reforms were necessary, and sought to offer his own solutions to urgent problems, added the Russian president.

Vladimir Putin also underscored the social, charitable and educational projects that Gorbachev had been conducting in recent years.

The death of the former President of the USSR was announced on Tuesday by the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow. No details regarding the health condition of the politician before his death were offered.Earlier this summer, rumors had circulated of a sharp deterioration in the health of the former Soviet leader. However, they were dispelled by representatives of the Gorbachev Foundation.

Shortly after the news of Gorbachev's passing, the Russian President's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that Vladimir Putin would send a telegram of condolences to his family and friends.

Mikhail Gorbachev sincerely wanted to believe that the Cold War would end and an eternal ‘romantic period’ with the collective West, as we call it, would arrive, but this did not happen, said Dmitry Peskov, speaking at the online Knowledge forum on Wednesday.

“Many argue about the role he played, but the fact that he was an extraordinary person, a unique person is unequivocal,” Peskov stated.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin expressed condolences to the family and friends of Mikhail Gorbachev, noting that he stood at the origins of many transformations, becoming the personification of global changes that have taken place in Russia and the world.