Mikhail Gorbachev’s death has resulted in a barrage of coverage in the western media paying tribute to his efforts to end the Cold War in the 1980s.

But how’s it playing in Russia? Are Russians mourning the loss of a former Soviet leader? Not exactly.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Alexander Hill of the University of Calgary explains that while Gorbachev was admired and respected in the West, many Russians detested the man for his key role in the decline of the Soviet empire and the fall of the Soviet Union. Hill adds that Gorbachev’s years in power have been influential — the Soviet Union’s collapse has loomed large in Vladimir Putin’s actions as president, including his invasion of Ukraine.

Gorbachev attempted to bring in liberal reforms — via glasnost and perestroika — to a country that was beset by major problems in the 1980s, including a stagnating economy.

But he failed, eventually faced a coup attempt by Communist hardliners, and when the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991, so too did his political career.

Also today:

All the best,

Lee-Anne Goodman

Politics, Business + Economics Editor

Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev addresses a group of 150 business executives in San Francisco in June 1990. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)

Gorbachev remembered: Respected in the West, detested in Russia

Alexander Hill, University of Calgary

While Mikhail Gorbachev was feted in the West — he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 — he was widely despised in Russia by those both mourning and celebrating the end of Soviet power.

Canada’s previous low-risk drinking guidelines were much more generous, allowing significantly more drinks per week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canada’s low-risk alcohol use guidelines have been slashed to 6 drinks per week. Here’s why.

Tim Stockwell, University of Victoria

Canada’s new alcohol guidelines cut the number of drinks per week in the ‘low-risk’ category by almost half for women, and by more than half for men. Here’s how researchers came to these conclusions.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, German vice-chancellor Robert Habeck and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a hydrogen energy deal signing ceremony on August 23, 2022 in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

New ‘hydrogen alliance’ offers Canada an opportunity to export ammonia to Europe

Barry E. Prentice, University of Manitoba

A new energy deal between Canada and Germany could revitalize the Port of Churchill in Manitoba by increasing ammonia export traffic.

A study suggests that the best practice is to eat the muscle, heart, and liver from weaned seals that are less than six weeks old. (Pierre-Yves Daoust)

What you should know about eating grey seal meat and products from the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Gwyneth Anne MacMillan, McGill University; Marc Amyot, Université de Montréal; Mélanie Lemire, Université Laval; Pierre-Yves Daoust, University of Prince Edward Island

Choose the meat, liver and heart of young grey seals (less than six weeks old) and apply standard sanitary measures when handling seals and their products.

La Conversation Canada

Outre le fait que manger une crotte de nez est dégoûtant, cela revient à ingérer des germes contenus dans le mucus, des métaux toxiques et des contaminants environnementaux. (Shutterstock)

Voici comment gérer vos crottes de nez, selon la science

Mark Patrick Taylor, Macquarie University; Gabriel Filippelli, IUPUI; Michael Gillings, Macquarie University

En secret, dans la voiture ou sur des serviettes de table, nous le faisons tous. Et pour être franc, c’est très satisfaisant.

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