# Gorbachev died shocked and bewildered by Ukraine conflict – interpreter
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-09-02
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Last Soviet leader Gorbachev psychologically crushed by
Meta Description: Gorbachev's interpreter reveals his shock and emotional trauma over Russia's worsening ties with Kyiv, shedding light on his state of mind.
URL: https://financedigest.com/gorbachev-died-shocked-and-bewildered-by-ukraine-conflict-interpreterhtml

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By Andrew Osborn

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, was shocked and bewildered by the Ukraine conflict in the months before he died and psychologically crushed in recent years by Moscow’s worsening ties with Kyiv, his interpreter said on Thursday.

Pavel Palazhchenko, who worked with the late Soviet president for 37 years and was at his side at numerous U.S.-Soviet summits, spoke to Gorbachev a few [weeks ago by phone and said he and others had been struck by how traumatised he was by events in Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/u-n-expects-ukraine-russia-grain-deal-to-be-implemented-in-a-few-weeks-officials.html "U.N. expects Ukraine-Russia grain deal to be implemented in a few weeks -officials").

“It’s not just the (special military) operation that started on Feb. 24, but the entire evolution of relations between [Russia and Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-action-wanes-at-u-n-to-isolate-russia-almost-six-months-into-ukraine-war.html "Analysis: Action wanes at U.N. to isolate Russia almost six months into Ukraine war") over the past years that was really, really a big blow to him. It really crushed him emotionally and psychologically,” Palazhchenko told Reuters in an interview.

It was very obvious to us in our conversations with him that he was shocked and bewildered by what was happening (after [Russian troops entered Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-grants-citizenship-to-top-russian-journalist-who-denounced-war.html "Ukraine grants citizenship to top Russian journalist who denounced war") in February) for all kinds of reasons. He believed not just in the [closeness of the Russian](https://www.financedigest.com/citigroup-says-will-close-russian-consumer-commercial-business.html "Citigroup says will close Russian consumer, commercial business") and Ukrainian people, he believed that those two nations were intermingled.

President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of [troops into Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/defiance-tears-trepidation-ukraines-capital-awakens-after-russian-troops-withdraw.html "Defiance, tears, trepidation: Ukraine’s capital awakens after Russian troops withdraw") on Feb. 24 in what he called a “special military [operation” which he said was needed to ensure Russia’s](https://www.financedigest.com/kfc-franchisees-in-russia-ask-govt-to-halt-sale-of-stores-to-local-operator-ria.html "KFC franchisees in Russia ask govt to halt sale of stores to local operator – RIA") security against an expanding NATO military alliance and to protect Russian-speakers.

Kyiv [says it posed](https://www.financedigest.com/london-police-say-queens-funeral-poses-biggest-ever-security-test.html "London police say queen’s funeral poses biggest ever security test") no threat and is now defending itself against an unprovoked imperial-style war of aggression. The [West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow to try to get Putin](https://www.financedigest.com/putin-sanctions-risk-causing-energy-price-catastrophe-for-west.html "Putin: sanctions risk causing energy price catastrophe for West") to pull his forces back, something he shows no sign of doing.

In photographs of 1980s summits with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, the bald, moustachioed figure of Palazhchenko can be seen time and again at Gorbachev’s side, leaning in to capture and relay every word.

Now 73, he is [well placed to know the late](https://www.financedigest.com/why-late-payments-are-hurting-your-customer-as-well-as-your-business.html "Why late payments are hurting your customer, as well as your business") politician’s state of mind in the period before he died, having seen him in recent months and been in touch with Gorbachev’s daughter Irina.

Gorbachev, who was 91 when he died on Tuesday from an unspecified illness, had family connections to Ukraine, said Palazhchenko. He was speaking at the Moscow headquarters of the Gorbachev Foundation where he works, and where Gorbachev kept an office dominated by a [giant portrait of his late wife Raisa whose father was from Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraines-giant-seed-bank-at-risk-of-being-lost-as-war-rages.html "Ukraine’s giant seed bank at risk of being lost as war rages").

[CONFLICTED ON UKRAINE](https://www.financedigest.com/france-says-belarus-could-face-more-sanctions-if-it-gets-increasingly-involved-in-ukraine-conflict.html "France says Belarus could face more sanctions if it gets increasingly involved in Ukraine conflict")

While in office, Gorbachev tried to keep the Soviet Union’s 15 republics, including Ukraine, together but failed after reforms he [set in motion emboldened many of them to demand](https://www.financedigest.com/aussie-supermarkets-set-to-capitalise-on-high-inflation-but-softer-demand-ahead.html "Aussie supermarkets set to capitalise on high inflation, but softer demand ahead") independence.

Soviet forces used deadly force in some instances in the dying days of the USSR against civilians. Politicians in Lithuania and Latvia recalled those events with horror after Gorbachev’s death, [saying they still blamed](https://www.financedigest.com/boes-broadbent-says-qe-not-to-blame-for-surge-in-inflation.html "BoE’s Broadbent says QE not to blame for surge in inflation") him for the bloodshed.

Palazhchenko said Gorbachev, who he said believed in [solving problems](https://www.financedigest.com/solve-a-problem-you-know-and-live.html "Solve a Problem You Know and Live") solely via political means, had either not known about some of those bloody episodes beforehand or “extremely reluctantly” authorised the use of force to prevent chaos.

Gorbachev’s position on Ukraine was complex and contradictory in his own mind, said Palazhchenko, because the late politician still believed in the idea of the Soviet Union.

Of course in his [heart the kind of mental map for him and for most people of his political generation is still a kind of imagined country](https://www.financedigest.com/forest-view-homes-minutes-from-the-heart-of-constable-country.html "Forest View – Homes Minutes From The Heart Of Constable Country") that includes most of the former Soviet Union,” said Palazhchenko.

But Gorbachev would not have waged war to restore the now defunct country he presided over from 1985-1991, he suggested.

“Of course I can’t imagine him saying ‘this is it, and I will do whatever to impose it’. No.”

While Gorbachev believed his duty was to show Putin respect and support, his former interpreter said he spoke out publicly when he disagreed with him such as on the treatment of the media. But he had taken a decision not to “provide a running commentary” on Ukraine beyond [approving a statement in February that called for an early end](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-approves-law-to-end-sales-of-new-co2-emitting-cars-by-2035.html "EU approves law to end sales of new CO2-emitting cars by 2035") to hostilities and for humanitarian concerns to be addressed.

Gorbachev’s relationship with Ukraine has sometimes been difficult. Kyiv banned him in 2016 after he told [Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper he would have acted in the same way as Putin](https://www.financedigest.com/russias-putin-extends-condolences-to-britain-for-irreparable-loss-of-queen.html "Russia’s Putin extends condolences to Britain for ‘irreparable loss’ of Queen") did in 2014 in annexing Crimea.

“I’m always with the free will of the people and most in Crimea wanted to be reunited with Russia,” Gorbachev said at the time, referring to the outcome of a referendum which Kyiv and the West called illegal.

Some Ukrainians also blame him for the initial Soviet cover-up of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.

HISTORY’S VERDICT

While conceding that some Russians and people across the [former Soviet empire held extremely negative views of Gorbachev for the economic](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-england-names-former-goldman-economist-pill-to-top-economics-role.html "Bank of England names former Goldman economist Pill to top economics role") and geopolitical tumult that followed the 1991 collapse of the USSR, Palazhchenko argued that Gorbachev’s legacy was still substantial.

He had not only helped end the Cold War and reduced the [risk of nuclear](https://www.financedigest.com/france-seeks-strategy-as-nuclear-waste-site-risks-saturation-point.html "France seeks strategy as nuclear waste site risks saturation point") war, he said, but had voluntarily dismantled totalitarianism inside the Soviet Union and given Russia a chance for freedom and democracy.

I think that he did remain optimistic about Russia’s [future,” despite his own legacy being “mangled” and what he regarded as “unfair criticism”](https://www.financedigest.com/smarter-safer-stronger-cybersecurity-is-now-critical-to-digital-future.html "Smarter, safer, stronger cybersecurity is now critical to digital future"), said Palazhchenko.

He believed that the people of Russia are very talented people and once they are given a chance, maybe a [second chance](https://www.financedigest.com/british-ev-maker-arrival-seeks-second-chance-with-us-ev-tax-credits.html "British EV maker Arrival seeks second chance with US EV tax credits"), that that talent…will show.

Palazhchenko, who reminisced about Cold War U.S.-Soviet summits and chatting in a limousine with Gorbachev after White House talks, said he and his colleagues now faced the task of going through Gorbachev’s papers and books at the late politician’s state-owned dacha outside Moscow as there was lots of material that had not yet been systematically catalogued in his archive.

Visibly angered by criticism of Gorbachev since his death by some people on [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-snitching-app-turns-citizens-into-social-media-police.html "Saudi snitching app turns citizens into social media police") whom he called “haters”, Palazhchenko said his former employer thought history would judge him rightly.

“He liked to say that history is a fickle lady. I think that he [believed and that he expected that the final verdict will be positive](https://www.financedigest.com/what-brexit-blues-new-research-reveals-over-half-of-businesses-in-the-financial-sector-believe-brexit-will-have-a-long-term-positive-impact.html "What Brexit blues? New research reveals over half of businesses in the financial sector believe Brexit will have a long-term positive impact") for him.

(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)


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