Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has dies at 91 Cause of death

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has dies at 91

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Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who played a central role in ending the Cold War, died Tuesday at the age of 91.

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Russian media reported his death, citing the hospital that was treating him as saying he died of a "serious and protracted disease," without providing more information

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Gorbachev's trademark policies of glasnost and perestroika helped open up the Soviet economy

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liberalize society in the late 1980s, confront its past and engage with Western leaders on arms control.

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He also oversaw the withdrawal of Soviet troops from about a decadelong military campaign in Afghanistan, as well as the USSR's handling of Chernobyl.

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Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990, he was seen by many abroad, including President Ronald Reagan, as a visionary

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