Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until its dissolution in 1991, has died, Russian news agencies reported Tuesday. Gorbachev tried to revive the moribund communist state by introducing polices of economic and political openness, known as perestroika and glasnost. One of the major global political figures of the second half of the 20th century, Gorbachev introduced significant political and economic change and presented a more modern, friendlier face to the rest of the world than that of his predecessors atop the Soviet regime. His posture paved the way for a reduction in nuclear arms with the United States and brought about the end of the Cold War, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize. His changes sparked demands — from Russians and the states controlled by the Soviet Union for decades — for an end to the dictatorship of the Communist Party that Gorbachev had served his entire life. Ultimately he was pushed by democratic activists led by Moscow's mayor, Boris Yeltsin, to abolish the Communist Party, eliminating a totalitarian regime that had taken over Eastern Europe and spread communism worldwide. Read more about Gorbachev's historical impact at the link in our bio. #gorbachev #sovietunion #russia