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Kremlin offers mixed view of Gorbachev’s historic role

A portrait of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's late wife Raisa hangs on the wall, at his foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A portrait of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and flowers are placed at his foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A portrait of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's late wife Raisa hangs on the wall, at his foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A portrait of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's late wife Raisa hangs on the wall, at his foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A portrait of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's late wife Raisa hangs on the wall, at his foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A portrait of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and flowers are placed at his foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's interpreter Pavel Palashchenko prepares to speak to the media at Gorbachev's foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's spokesman Vladimir Polyakov speaks during his interview with the Associated Press at Gorbachev's foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A portrait of the former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and flowers are placed at his foundation's headquarters, a day after his passing, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union and for many the man who restored democracy to then-communist-ruled European nations, was mourned Wednesday as the loss of a rare leader who changed the world and for a time gave hope for peace among the superpowers. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) FILE - Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev checks the time on his watch before his resignation speech in the Kremlin on Dec. 25, 1991. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has died Tuesday Aug. 30, 2022 at a Moscow hospital at age 91. (AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File) FILE - Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, talks with former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev at the start of a news conference at the Castle of Gottorf in Schleswig, northern Germany, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2004. Russian news agencies are reporting that former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has died at 91. The Tass, RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies cited the Central Clinical Hospital. (Carsten Rehder/dpa via AP) FILE - Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev speaks to the Associated Press during an interview at his foundation's headquarters, in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. Russian news agencies are reporting that former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has died at 91. The Tass, RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies cited the Central Clinical Hospital. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)