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Thousands of mourners have paid their respects to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachv, who was laid to rest today in a ceremony snubbed by Vladimir Putin.
Widely considered to be one of the most important figures of the second half of the 20th century, Gorbachev was the final leader of the Soviet Union.
The statesman is credited with changing the course of history by bringing the Cold War to a peaceful end.
The Kremlin’s refusal to declare a state funeral reflects its uneasiness about the legacy of Gorbachev.
He has been venerated worldwide for bringing down the Iron Curtain but reviled by many at home for the Soviet collapse and the ensuing economic meltdown that plunged millions into poverty.
Putin had previously called the fall of the Soviet Union ‘greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century’ and claimed his schedule meant he was too busy to attend the former leader’s low-key funeral.
Gorbachev, who died Tuesday aged 91, will be buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery next to his wife, Raisa.
His farewell ceremony was held at the Pillar Hall of the House of the Unions, a mansion near the Kremlin, which has served as the venue for state funerals since Soviet times.
Upon entering the building, mourners saw guards flanking a large photo of Gorbachev standing with a broad smile, a reminder of the cheerful vigour he brought to the Soviet leadership after a series of dour, ailing predecessors.
The turnout was large enough that the viewing was extended more than an hour beyond the stated two hours.
His daughter Irina and his two granddaughters sat beside the coffin.
Yet despite the prestigious choice of venue the Kremlin stopped short of labelling it a state funeral, as doing so would have meant Moscow would be required to invite foreign leaders to the event.
It would also force Mr Putin to attend, something Russia is not keen to do following their invasion of Ukraine.
Nevertheless, some foreign leaders did attend the funeral, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has often been critical of the Western sanctions against Russia.
The British, US and German ambassadors were also in attendance.
The modest ceremony contrasts with a lavish 2007 state funeral given to Boris Yeltsin, Russia’s first post-Soviet leader who anointed Mr Putin as his preferred successor and set the stage for him to win the presidency by stepping down.
Putin has avoided direct criticism of Gorbachev but has repeatedly blamed him for failing to secure written commitments from the West that would rule out Nato’s expansion east.
The issue has marred Russia-West relations for decades and fomented tensions that exploded when the Russian leader sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.
In a carefully phrased letter of condolence released on Wednesday avoiding explicit praise or criticism, Putin described Gorbachev as a man who left ‘an enormous impact on the course of world history.’
Putin added: ‘He led the country during difficult and dramatic changes, amid large-scale foreign policy, economic and society challenges.
‘He deeply realised that reforms were necessary and tried to offer his solutions for the acute problems.’
Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 ‘for the leading role he played in the radical changes in East-West relations’.
But in the new Russia that emerged after 1991, he was on the fringes of politics, focusing on educational and humanitarian projects.
Gorbachev made one ill-fated attempt to return to political life in 1996, receiving just 0.5% of the vote in presidential elections.
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