Mikhail Gorbachev death: Though in power for less than seven years, Gorbachev unleashed a breathtaking series of changes. But they quickly overtook him and resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences over the demise of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
On August 18, 1991, the Soviet President was placed under house arrest during an attempted coup by hardline Communists that collapsed as abruptly as it began