No state funeral – Orban at Gorbachev’s funeral in Moscow

The background to this is that many foreign politicians are not allowed to enter Russia. In addition, the airspace is closed to aircraft from “unfriendly EU countries” – both reactions to the Western sanctions against Russia. Orban was able to enter the country as a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Apart from him, no Western leaders attended the funeral of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Died after a long illness
The Nobel Peace Prize winner died Tuesday – as reported – at the age of 91 after a long, serious illness. Unlike after the death of Russian President Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007), there is no state funeral. The funeral service began Saturday at 9 a.m. (CEST). First, Gorbachev’s body was traditionally placed for several hours in the House of Trade Unions within view of the Kremlin. Then the mourners could say goodbye to the former president. He will then be buried next to his wife Raissa in the famous Moscow cemetery in the Novodevichy Convent.

In total, hundreds of people attended the funeral service, many waiting in front of the building with flowers in their hands. The current president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, was not with them. His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was on a business trip. Putin visited Gorbachev’s coffin on Thursday.

In the past, Gorbachev had criticized restrictions on press freedom and other authoritarian movements under Putin. He co-owned the newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which was critical of the Kremlin. As president, he was considered a pioneer for the end of the Cold War and one of the founders of German unity.

International mourning
However, because his political trials led to the collapse of the communist empire, many in Russia blame Gorbachev for throwing the country into chaos. In Germany, on the other hand, Gorbachev enjoyed a good reputation, especially in the East. His death sparked international grief.