Deep condolences? Why Vladimir Putin thought Gorbachev dealt Russia the biggest blow

Condolences have poured in from across the world as Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, died at the age of 91 on Tuesday, August 30. According to Russian news outlets, the "revolutionary" leader breathed his last at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow as he was said to be suffering from "a serious and long illness." Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed his deep condolences over the demise of the former Soviet leader. "President Putin expresses deep condolences over the death of Mikhail Gorbachev. In the morning he will send a telegram of condolences to his family and friends," stated Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, as per a press release. 

Putin blamed Gorbachev for collapse of the Soviet Union

Although Putin offered condolences, he often also blamed Gorbachev for the collapse of the Soviet Union. According to Putin, the former Soviet leader's actions made the country suffer to a great extent. Both leaders were staunch critics of each other, however, Putin refrained from attacking the former Soviet leader directly. Gorbachev had also expressed doubt over Russia's future under the leadership of Putin, who once referred to the fall of the Soviet Union as the"greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century." According to reports, Gorbachev reached out to the West and discussed putting an end to the arms race and Cold War. However, Putin was not in favour of this as he did not see stopping the arms race as a viable future for Russia. 

Earlier in 2011, Gorbachev publicly criticised Russian President Putin for the first time, urging him not to run for a third term. However, Putin contested the Presidential elections and won another six years in the Kremlin in 2012, even after facing huge protests from the people of Russia. “If you try to do everything in the country without taking the people into account, while imitating democracy, that will lead to a situation like in Africa, where leaders sit and rule for 20 or 30 years,” Gorbachev had told Bloomberg News.

Gorbachev called Putin an 'obstacle to progress'

In 2016 too, Gorbachev had raised objections to the policies brought in by the Russian President. Criticising Putin, the former Soviet leader had called him an 'obstacle to progress.' "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 told Time. Gorbachev had also criticised Putin's decision to launch a full-fledged war in Ukraine in late February and warned about its consequences stating that the incumbent President had endangered Russia's democracy. On the contrary, Gorbachev had supported Russia's annexation of Crimea and described it as a "correction of Soviet-era mistake" despite opposing Putin on several occasions. 

It is pertinent to mention here that Gorbachev assumed control of the Soviet Union in March 1985, and he left office on December 25, 1991. His leadership oversaw the collapse of the Berlin Wall 1989, the liberation of thousands of political prisoners, and the introduction of real freedom to millions of people who had previously only known communism. He is survived by a daughter, Irina, and two granddaughters.