Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev (1931–2022) – Last leader of the Soviet Union
- Actions:
- Attempted to reform the Soviet Union to prevent its collapse.
- Mishandled the Chernobyl crisis.
- Failed to prevent the 18_Collapse of the Soviet Union.
- Significance:
- His liberalization of public discourse revitalized civil society in Ukraine after Brezhnev.
- The mishandling of Chernobyl spurred increased civic mobilization.
- The collapse of the Soviet Union created an opportunity for Ukrainian civil society to advocate successfully for independence.
- Successor and Legacy:
- Succeeded in Russia by Boris Yeltsin and in Ukraine by Leonid Kravchuk.
This is part of the #Significantpersons series.