Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has died aged 91.
Mr Gorbachev, who took over in 1985, is best known for opening up the USSR and for his rapprochement with the West, but he was unable to prevent his country collapsing in 1991.
Many Russians blame him and his reformist policies for the country's demise.
The hospital where he died said he had been suffering from a long and serious illness.
Mr Gorbachev became general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party, and de facto leader of the country, at the age of 54.
He was at the time the youngest member of the ruling council known as the Politburo, and was seen as a breath of fresh air after several ageing leaders.
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