Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev as he bids the last farewell to his wife Raisa Gorbacheva during the funeral ceremony in Moscow, Russia, 23 September 1999 (reissued 30 August 2022). According to a Moscow Central Clinical Hospital statement, former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev has died at the age of 91. As a supporter of the de-Stalinization programs of his predecessor Nikita Khrushchev, Gorbachev initiated numerous reforms during his tenure. He signed a nuclear arms treaty with the United States and withdrew the Soviet Union from the Soviet-Afghan war. His policies created freedom of speech and press, and decentralized fiscal policy planning and execution to increase efficiency. Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union, overseeing Russia’s transition from one party rule to fragile democracy. (Photo by Sergey Chirikov/EPA/EFE)

Customers ride escalators at a shopping mall in central Moscow, Russia on March 2, 2019. (Photo by Mladen Antonov/AFP Photo)

An Estonian competitor cheers during the “World Medieval Fighting Championship – the Israeli Challenge” in Rishon Letzion near Tel Aviv January 22, 2015. Israel hosted the tournament on Thursday, which includes 14 competitors from seven different countries – France, Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine and Israel. (Photo by Amir Cohen/Reuters)

People in hard hats in a rage room in Moscow, Russia on January 27, 2016. The Debosh stress relief service gives its customers an opportunity to smash the rage room up with sledgehammers and bats to relieve stress and tension. (Photo by Artyom Geodakyan/TASS/Barcroft Media)

A spectator at the Maslenitsa car battle, reacts during a clash, in the village of Goroshki, some 35 kilometers from Minsk, Belarus, 12 March 2016. The battle which is held at the Historical and Cultural Complex, Stalin line, is a small local competition, with participants from Belarus and Russia. (Photo by Tatyana Zenkovich/EPA)

A woman and a girl dressed in historical Red Army uniform, wait before watching the Victory Day parade, marking the 71st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2016. (Photo by Grigory Dukor/Reuters)

A man lying on the ground is assisted by French policemen during clashes bewteen English and Russian supporters in the Old Port of Marseille, France, Saturday, June 12, 2016, before the UEFA EURO 2016 group B match between England and Russia. (Photo by Daniel Dal Zennaro/ANSA via AP Photo)

Participants hold smoke flares as they slide down along a chute to cross a pool of water and foam during the “Letniy Gornoluzhnik” (Summer mountain puddle rider) festival at the Bobroviy Log Fun Park near the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, August 21, 2016. (Photo by Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)