65  Persons Gorbachev

Abstract

Think Gorbachev was a nice guy who faught the Soviet Union? Ask people from the Baltics or from Chornobyl or from Crimea.

Myth
  • Gorbachev was a peaceful guy
  • Gorbachev freed East-Germany
  • Gorbachev freed Ukraine
  • Gorbachev freed other ex-soviet nations

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Truth
  • Gorbachev had no choice because the USSR was bancrupt
  • Gorbachev messed up with Chornobyl
  • Gorbachev was yet another russian leader commiting crimes against its neighbors
  • Gorbachev welcomed Russia’s invasion of Crimea

Mikhail Gorbachev was indeed one of the most prominent politicians of the 20th century, and his efforts to modernize the Soviet economy, increase political openness, and contribute to the end of the Cold War are often regarded as positive steps toward reform and diplomatic engagement. However, in many aspects, this view of his legacy is rather one-sided, and his policy is subject to fair criticism, especially in Ukraine.

65.1 Chornobyl

Mikhail Gorbachev’s role in the aftermath of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster deserves particular attention. Initially, there was a lack of immediate transparency and acknowledgment of the severity of the disaster. The staff at the Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant, Sweden first detected the radiological danger,1 and the Soviet government under Gorbachev was slow to disclose information about the incident, both domestically and internationally.

The evacuation of the nearby town of Prypiat was delayed, and residents were not informed promptly about the risks associated with the radiation exposure. Moreover, on May 1, just a few days after the nuclear accident took place, the Soviet government under Gorbachev ordered to hold the traditional annual parade in Kyiv (approx. 100 km away from Chornobyl) to celebrate International Workers’ Day. That was a disproportionately risky idea, as the night before, the wind turned toward Kyiv, and the radiation background began to rise in the city.2

Deposition from Chornobyl in Europe. Source: European Environment Agency

65.2 Promoter of freedom?

One might say that Gorbachev’s presidency ultimately saw the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, which would have been perceived as a positive outcome of his policy among Ukrainians. However, the disintegration of the USSR was an unintended consequence and not a pre-planned action to support the independence efforts of individual republics.

In the declining years of the Soviet Union, national pro-independence movements were especially active in their struggle to withdraw from the state, among them was also Rukh,3 the People’s Movement of Ukraine. Many such demonstrations across the Union were followed by violent suppression, resulting in thousands of detentions and hundreds of deaths and injuries, as it was during Zheltoqsan in Kazakhstan,4 Black January in Azerbaijan,5 the Tbilisi tragedy,6 or confrontations in Lithuania,7 to name a few. Hence, Gorbachev adopted the same repressive approaches as his predecessors to hold the Soviet Empire within its borders. He later admitted that he wanted to preserve the Soviet Union, saying that aspiring officials “committed a crime” and called the collapse of the state a “coup.”8

We will never forget the simple fact that his army murdered civilians to prolong his regime’s occupation of our country. His soldiers fired on our unarmed protesters and crushed them under his tanks. That is how we will remember him.

While rest of EU mourns, Baltics recall Gorbachev as agent of repression9

65.3 Crimea

Gorbachev’s lack of respect for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity was evident in his reaction to the Russian occupation of Crimea.10 He openly supported Putin’s official policy and aggressive action, arguing that it had “corrected a Soviet-era mistake.” Moreover, he remained silent after the outbreak of the full-scale Russian invasion. There was only a message on the website of the Gorbachev Foundation “in connection with Russian military operation in Ukraine” calling for a cessation of hostilities and “resumption of the negotiation process.”11

  1. Timeline of the Chernobyl disaster. (n.d.). The Chernobyl Gallery. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://www.chernobylgallery.com/chernobyl-disaster/timeline/↩︎

  2. Валентина Шевченко: “Провести демонстрацію 1 травня 1986-го наказали з Москви” [Valentyna Shevchenko: “The demonstration on May 1, 1986, was ordered from Moscow”]. (2011, April 25). Istorychna Pravda. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://web.archive.org/web/20160426221138/http:/www.istpravda.com.ua/articles/2011/04/25/36971/↩︎

  3. Shvangiradze, T. (2023, May 5). Forming a Modern Ukrainian State: Rukh, the People’s Movement of Ukraine. TheCollector. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://www.thecollector.com/rukh-peoples-movement-of-ukraine/↩︎

  4. Pannier, B. (2006, December 14). Kazakhstan: Zheltoqsan Protest Marked 20 Years Later. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://www.rferl.org/a/1073453.html↩︎

  5. Conflict in the Soviet Union: Black January in Azerbaidzhan. (n.d.). Google Books. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://books.google.com.ua/books?id=ZHLuH7HAH2YC&q=Conflict+in+the+Soviet+Union:+Black+January+in+Azerbaidzhan%27&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=Conflict%20in%20the%20Soviet%20Union%3A%20Black%20January%20in%20Azerbaidzhan’&f=false↩︎

  6. Zverev, A. (n.d.). Contested Borders in the Caucasus : Ethnic Conflicts in the Caucasus 1988-1994. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://web.archive.org/web/20121127185336/http:/poli.vub.ac.be/publi/ContBorders/eng/ch0103.htm↩︎

  7. Wesolowsky, T. (2021, January 12). Thirty Years After Soviet Crackdown In Lithuania, Kremlin Accused Of Rewriting History. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://www.rferl.org/a/lithuania-soviet-crackdown-1991-kremlin-rewriting-history/31043914.html↩︎

  8. Sharkov, D. (2016, December 18). Mikhail Gorbachev on the Soviet Union Collapse, Democracy in Russia and Putin’s Popularity. Newsweek. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://www.newsweek.com/gorbachev-claims-treachery-was-behind-soviet-collapse-531328↩︎

  9. While rest of EU mourns, Baltics recall Gorbachev as agent of repression. (2022, August 31). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/while-rest-eu-mourns-baltics-recall-gorbachev-agent-repression-2022-08-31/↩︎

  10. Haynes, D. (2014, March 18). Mikhail Gorbachev hails Crimea annexation to Russia. UPI. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/03/18/Mikhail-Gorbachev-hails-Crimea-annexation-to-Russia/6881395193402/↩︎

  11. Заявление Горбачев-Фонда [Statement of the Gorbachev Foundation]. (2022, February 26). The Gorbachev Foundation. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://www.gorby.ru/presscenter/news/show_30323/↩︎