The late Mikhail Sergeryvich Gorbachev was a Russian and Soviet politician prominent for being the eighth and final leader of the Society Union.
Gorbachev was the President of the Soviet Union from March 15, 1990, to December 25, 1991, when the office was abolished.
However, his longest-serving role was as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's General Secretary, which he served from March 11, 1985, to August 24, 1991.
Concurrent with this role, Gorbachev also served as the Soviet Union's Chairman of the Supreme Soviet from May 25, 1989, to March 15, 1990.
Finally, Gorbachev was also the Societ Union's Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet for a brief period from October 1, 1988, to May 25, 1989.
Gorbachev is considered one of the most significant figures of the latter half of the 20th century.
Almost 30 years after the heights of his powers, the soviet politician remains a subject of controversy.
Gorbachev has won many awards, like the Nobel Peace Prize, and is seen as one of the main reasons the Cold War ended.
While in office, the former head of state introduced new political and economic freedoms in the Soviet Union and supported both the fall of Marxist/Leninist administrations in Eastern Europe and Germany's reunification.
On the other hand, the Russian government and other former Soviet states see him as the main reason for the dissolution of the Soviet state and the decline in Russia's global influence.
Here Are Some Facts About Mikhail Gorbachev
Age: | 91 (Deceased) |
Net Worth: | $5 Million |
Profession: | Politician |
Nationality: | Russian |
Spouse: | Raisa Gorbachev |
Children: | 1 |
Date of Birth: | March 2, 1931 |
Place of Birth: | Privolnoye, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
Date of Death: | August 30, 2022 |
Awards: | Nobel Peace Prize (1990) |
Years Active: | 1988 - 2022 |
Who Is Mikhail Gorbachev's Wife, Raisa Gorbachev?
Mikhail Gorbachev was married to Raisa Gorbachev from September 1953 to her death on September 20, 1999.
Raisa Gorbachev, born Raisa Maximovna Titarenko, was a Russian activist who raised funds to preserve Russian cultural heritage and treatment programs for children's blood cancer.
Raisa was born in the Altai region of Siberia, in the city of Rubtsovsk, as the eldest t of three children of Maxim Andreyevich and Alexandra Petrovna Porada.
Andreyevich was a railway engineer originally from Chernihiv, Ukraine, and Porada was originally from Veseloyarsk.
Raisa spent her younger days in the Ural Mountains and left to study philosophy in Moscow, where she met her husband. Raisa earned an advanced degree at the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute.
Raisa briefly taught at the Moscow State University and, after marrying Gorbachev, moved to Stavropol, where she taught Marxist-Leninist philosophy. She also defended her sociology research thesis about kolkhoz's life.
Gorbachev and Raisa were very dedicated to each other, and many sources say that he cherished his wife, who cherished him back.
In June 1999, Raisa was diagnosed with leukemia and died some months later, on September 20, 1999.
Who Is Mikhail Gorbachev's daughter?
Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev only had one child together, a daughter called Irina Mikhailovna.
The Gorbachevs wanted to raise their daughter as a normal child rather than as the usual child of a party elite.
To that end, Irina Mikhailovna was sent to a local school in Stravopol rather than a school set aside for children of party elites.
Irina Mikhailovna married Andrey Trukhachyov in 2006 and had two children, Anastasia Virganskaya and Ksenia Virganskaya.
Gorbachev was a very involved parent and grandparent and had a big, loving influence on his family.
Gorbachev had perhaps the most human life of all the Russian politicians of the time, as he was not a womanizer and did not drink or smoke.
In fact, Gorbachev was known for treating women respectfully, which was a big contrast to the rest of the people in the Russian government at the time.
His wife, Raisa, was also one of the few wives of a communist party leader who had a high profile of her own.
All the things that made Gorbachev look like a decent and human person were the same things his detractors denounced him for.
Read more about politicians here: Politician: Who Is Maxwell Alejandro Frost? The Gen Z Democratic Nominee In Florida
How Much is Mikhail Gorbachev's Net Worth?
At his death, Mikhail Gorbachev had an estimated net worth of about $5 million.
The Russian statesman earned a lot of money during his sizeable amount of time in power. However, his life was marred less with monetary issues and more with issues of political perception.
Gorbachev is perhaps the political figure that invites the most divided opinions. Despite his many progressive reforms, Gorbachev is not particularly liked in Russia.
A 2017 survey showed that almost half, 46%, of Russian citizens had a negative opinion of the politician, 30% were indifferent, and only 15% had a positive opinion.
On the other hand, most Western countries see him as the greatest leader Russia ever had and one of the greatest politicians of the latter half of the 20th century.
These two lines of thought run concurrently because most Russian people hate Gorbachev because they think he sold the country out to the west, while the main reason the people in the west like him is because he westernized Russia.
The man leaves behind a strange legacy. Gorbachev died at 19, following a severe and prolonged illness that hasn't been revealed.
Gorbachev will be buried alongside his wife.
Read more about Russians here: Who Is Roman Gavrilov? Details About The Army General Of Russia Who Was Sacked For Allegedly Leaking Information