Mikhail Gorbachev is not as well regarded in Russia as he is in the west, according to Carlow College lecturer Dr Noel Kavanagh.
The former Soviet leader who died at the age of 91 is credited with ending the Cold War and democratising the USSR through his policies of ”Glasnost” and ”Perestroika”.
Tributes have been paid by global leaders from Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who says he ”truly changed the world”, to US president Joe Biden who says Mr. Gorbachev dramatically reduced the potential for a third World War.
But Russia’s Vladamir Putin has only released a brief statement through a spokesperson and is unlikely to give a state funeral.
Lecturer in Political Philosophy, Dr Noel Kavanagh has been telling KCLR the difference in perception is because of the difficult times Russia went through as transitioned to a more liberal society and a more open economy.
Dr Kavanagh says: ”If you talk today to many Russians of a certain age, they’ll say everything went to hell in a handbasket at that stage.”
