Russia, for Gorbachev “means” state funeral. Putin will not be there

MOSCOW – The Russian president Vladimir Putin Saturday will not attend the funeral of the last leader of the USSR on Saturday, Mikhail Gorbachev, died at the age of 91. “The main ceremony will be held on September 3, as will the funeral, but the president’s schedule will not allow him to be there,” the spokesperson told reporters. Dmitry Peskovadding that Putin has already given his last farewell to Gorbachev today by going to the hospital where he died on Tuesday to “put flowers near his coffin” before leaving for Kaliningrad.