Putin to miss Gorbachev's funeral due to his 'work schedule'


Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the funeral of late Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died Tuesday at the age of 91, Reuters reports.
On Thursday, state television showed Putin visiting Gorbachev's coffin in Moscow's Central Clinical Hospital, where he "made a sign of the cross in Russian Orthodox fashion before briefly touching the edge of the coffin," Reuters writes.
Putin opted to pay his respects on Thursday because his "work schedule" will not allow him to attend the services on Sept. 3, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Peskov added that Gorbachev's ceremony would have "elements" of a state funeral, such as a "guard of honor, and a farewell ceremony."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
To that end, it's unclear how exactly Gorbachev's event might differ from an ordinary, full-fledged state funeral, CNN notes; but overall, the government's muted response to his death is in "stark contrast" to that which followed the loss of former President Boris Yeltsin back in 2007.
For one thing, Putin, who resented Gorbachev for bringing about the end of the USSR, took over 15 hours to share a tribute to the fallen leader and compatriot. Gorbachev, meanwhile, had "grown more critical of Putin and his increasingly restrictive regime in recent years," CNN adds.
Gorbachev will be buried next to his wife at Moscow's Novodevichy cemetery, per NBC News.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
Is the Trump-Putin bromance over... again?
Today's Big Question The US president has admitted he's 'p*ssed off' with his opposite number
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation