Gorbachev buried in Moscow in funeral snubbed by Putin

Obituary: Mikhail Gorbachev -- The Man Whose Empire Crumbled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkIajR1RMkY

I never really took the time to fully comprehend Mikhail Gorbachev legacy.

Putin certainly laid any prospect of peace/stability to an illusion.

Irina Virganskaya, daughter of former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev, says goodbye to him for the last time, during his funeral, at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday.

He should be buried side by side in Lenin's Tomb. As bookends to to symbolize the beginning and the end of the Soviet experiment in its' accomplishments and ills in all the eulogies.

Such as bringing a semi-feudal economy continuing under the Tsars into the 20th Century and transforming it into the Earth's first space-faring superpower in 40 years .

Putin certainly laid any prospect of peace/stability to an illusion.

The world lost a man in Gorbachev who had tried to do what he could to see some peace and stability in Russia and around the world.

Putin. the ex-Stasi, KGB factotum for the Kremlin hated that Russia and its system of totalitarianism did not come out on top, and now is being shown to be a warmonger, who also seems to want to continue to ensure prospects for peace/stability remain an illusion. Putin's supporters continue to claim, with who knows how much truth, Putin's got richer during the war. Maybe his partners in China, Iran and North Korea will join him further spreading global war and thereby making themselves richer.

Personally I would consider it an honor to be snubbed by Putin.

The juxtaposition of Gorbachev and Putin couldn't be more stark.

One was highly respected on the global stage for attempting to bring a new measure of freedom and opportunity to his people, and for respecting the right of other nations to co-exist peacefully and constructively.

The other is Putin.

Putin has repeatedly blamed Gorbachev

"for failing to secure written commitments from the West that would rule out NATO’s expansion eastward“. The issue has marred Russia-West relations for decades and fomented tensions that exploded when the Russian leader sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Gorbachev, a great world leader, indeed; his funeral should be more than a mere local Russian state funeral. As I have suspected always, today's Ukrainian crisis harks back to the days when he tried to implement his cherished policy of perestroika and glasnost in the closed society of the Soviet Union which the West took the most advantage of in order to expand its (NATO's) expansion eastwards.

He did destroy the KGB which Putin was the boss. That maybe why.

which the West took the most advantage of in order to expand its (NATO's) expansion eastwards.

That's a distorted exaggeration. The first thing that many the East Bloc nations did after the collapse of Putin's Soviet Union was to turn toward the West and plead for NATO membership. NATO members had a mixed reaction and spent about 7 years debating membership before allowing the first tranche. The others followed over the years, with Finland and Sweden the latest this year out of a fear of Putin's Russia.

The fact is, being under Russia's yoke for centuries had left these countries brutalized and impoverished. They were desperate to become part of the West ASAP.

Rodney

He did destroy the KGB which Putin was the boss. That maybe why.

Putin was never the boss of the KGB. He was a low level foreign intelligence officer stationed in East Germany.

The least Putin could’ve done was send one of his body doubles

Sorry my bad. He was a lieutenant colonel in the KGB, but boss of the FSB. Usually all my comments are factual. Sorry.

“I want to thank him for my childhood of freedom, which we don’t have today,” said mourner Ilya, a financial services worker in his early 30s who declined to give his last name. 

Said the mourner too afraid of Putin’s FSB to give a last name.

Even in death Gorbachev is a giant compared to mini-me and his side kick Bevis.

"snubbed" ? How about a list of all the foreign leaders who also didn't attend the funeral?

Putin paid his respects while Gorbachev was in his coffin.

Mini-me couldn’t be bothered to attend his funeral and hold still while people said nice things about an actual leader - not some mafia-backed thug.

Of course, these days mini-me can’t hold still for much of anything, can he?

It’s called contrast, gin. It’s the entire purpose of the tonic.

And when you have a midget thug in the middle of a war of expansion try to “snub” a great statesman on the occasion of his death, the contrast almost writes itself.

I can think of no higher complement to Gorbachev than to point out that even in a coffin he is a giant , and what a midget, lil Vlad is by comparison

"snubbed" ? How about a list of all the foreign leaders who also didn't attend the funeral?

Most of whom are banned from entering Russia. Is Putin? No. So yes, snubbed.

Thanks...super witty. 

You are most welcome, and I got the idea the first time.

Gorbachev lost. Russia was looted and descended into chaos. Putin fought back and won. Why would he not snub Gorbachev? Putin does not care what you think about him.

Maybe more in death than in life adored Gorbachev.

@violet Putin does not care what you think about him.

So he's little different from other psychopaths, except he has nukes and his own armies plus China Iran and North Korea's to back him up.

I don't think history will be brutal towards Gorbachev, I think it will debunk a lot of myths surrounding the guy, the man did what he could, he wasn't perfect, flawed like all of us, but his leadership did expedite and end the Soviet Union and the cold war, on that alone, the man should be held as a hero.

Usually all my comments are factual.

err, no they’re not

is it really necessary to keep on repeating that Putin is a warmonger 

the truth hurts eh ?

We get it.,,Putin, Russia, China, Iran, NK =evil.

yes, finally !

Putin fought back and won. 

no, he killed, purged & stole money & a bright future from its citizens

Gorbachev, was a true visionary, a genuine reformist.

Betrayed by a soulless man whose devotion was to a failed empire built on purges and political eradication.

itsonlyrocknrollToday  12:56 pm JST

Gorbachev, was a true visionary, a genuine reformist.

Betrayed by a soulless man whose devotion was to a failed empire built on purges and political eradication.

You mean Putin? He was a mid-level local politician in St. Petersburg when Gorbachev was deposed.

Putin is like a Russian version of Trump!

Putin is like a Russian version of Trump!

No he isn't. Trump didn't start any wars. In fact, Trump's campaign pledge was to end US involvement in wars, and his team later negotiated the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Gorbachev was a Napoleon who started with Waterloo.

The man who began his path in a right direction (the Soviet system really needed a complete overhaul) with full support of his countrymen, but who finished absolutely despised by them for collapse of the country, unbeliavable economic hardships and several civil conflicts and even civil wars that started on his watch. He completely surrendered his country's foreign interests in exchange for broad smiles and nice words of foreign leaders, he allowed Western companies to plunder his country's natural resources. No wonder he is not mourned much at home.

For all Gorbachev admirers I have a very simple question: would you like a person like him to be president / prime minister of your country, would you like him to do to your country the very same things he did to his?

When you think about it, it makes sense. After all, one is a Nobel laureate while the other is an awful war criminal.

Frankly Simon I struggle to understand the true political relationship between Gorbachev and Putin

Gorbachev's love-hate relationship with Putin

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220831-gorbachev-s-love-hate-relationship-with-putin

gintonic

Some posters just cant help themselves....even under an article about this great statesman,s funerals is it really necessary to keep on repeating that Putin is a warmonger blah blah...China, Iran NK ....blah blah....we get that daily in all the other articles about Russia and Ukraine.

It's important. Because Putin hated Gorbachev's actions that ended the cold war. But we don't frame Putin, merely as a warmonger. He's also a cold-hearted murderer.

@itsonlyrocknroll

I struggle to understand the true political relationship between Gorbachev and Putin

There wasn't any political relationship. After 1991 Gorbachev was just a retiree with no political influence or authority in his country. Happy PR agent for a pizza chain, busy recipient of Western awards and bonuses, but political zero.

@2020hindsights

Gorbachev's actions that ended the cold war

Gorbachev's actions destroyed the country he was president of. No reason for Putin to like or respect him.

But we don't frame Putin, merely as a warmonger. He's also a cold-hearted murderer

"We" - is it some publishing agency that produces pulp fiction with dramatic titles?

Dear Sir, RIP.

Gorbachev's place in history will occupy a place of honor, unlike that of the reviled Putin, and no-one will need to snub Putin's funeral because, if there is justice, no-one will know where the remains of that execrable piece of work lie.

Mr KiplingToday 09:50 am JST

"snubbed" ? How about a list of all the foreign leaders who also didn't attend the funeral?

Who in your mind should have attended? Given Russia has banned many western leaders from travel to Russia.

Asakaze

Gorbachev's actions that ended the cold war

Gorbachev's actions destroyed the country he was president of. No reason for Putin to like or respect him.

No it didn't. It made countries like Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine etc. self governing. That's a good thing. The Russian myth was busted and maybe that saddened Putin. But his reaction to that - to try to turn back time, is both misguided and reprehensible.

Asakaze

he allowed Western companies to plunder his country's natural resources.

Nope. His fellow Russians plundered his country's resources. Hence the emergence of the Russian oligarchs.

Farewell to world leader Mr. Gorbachev. The late President served humanity with dedication and distinction. Strength and courage to all his loved ones.