Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union died after a long illness on Tuesday, Russian media outlet RIA reported, citing hospital officials.
Gorbachev was 91 years old.
The former USSR leader was living in the hospital and was being treated for diabetes and kidney problems, according to Russian media outlet Gazeta.
He will be buried in Moscow’s Novo-Dyevitchiye cemetery next to his wife Raisa, Russian media outlet TASS reported, citing sources close to his family.
Gorbachev’s time in office, marked by his attempts at opening up the Soviet Union through Glasnost and Perestroika, led to the unraveling and dissolution of the USSR in 1991. He has been hailed by some for ending the USSR without bloodshed, and described as a prominent factor in its dissolution.
PHOTOS: Mikhail Gorbachev
After his presidency, Gorbachev launched the Gorbachev Foundation and traveled internationally, delivering lectures. He campaigned for the Russian presidency against Boris Yeltsin in 1996, but lost before getting to the final round of voting.
He has voiced apparent criticism of Vladimir Putin’s long reign in power, telling the BBC “there are some people for whom freedom is an annoyance.”
“I have criticized Putin for bumptiousness. I respect him as a political leader and a person, but I believe his current policies are an obstacle to progress,” Gorbachev wrote in Time in 2016.
Although criticizing Putin on endangering Russian democracy, and warning about the consequences of the war on Ukraine, Gorbachev has also supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea, leading to a travel ban from Ukraine.
The Gorbachev Foundation released a statement about Russia’s war on Ukraine in February, calling for an “early cessation of hostilities” to save “human lives.”
“In connection with Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, begun on February 24, we affirm the need for an early cessation of hostilities and immediate start of peace negotiations. There is nothing more precious in the world than human lives. Negotiations and dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and recognition of interests are the only possible way to resolve the most acute contradictions and problems. We support any efforts aimed at the resumption of negotiating process,” the foundation said in a statement.
Although criticizing Putin on endangering Russian democracy and warning about the consequences of the war, Gorbachev has also supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea, leading to a travel ban from Ukraine.