What was Vladimir Putin s relationship like with Mikhail Gorbachev? stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Putin s spin doctors claimed that the Russian tyrant expressed sympathies over the death of Gorbachev - even though the USSR s last leader is despised by Kremlin hardliners.
When Vladimir Putin became president in 2000, he had no greater champion than Mikhail Gorbachev. But as Putin slowly transformed Russia into an imperial presidency, the two men turned against each other.