Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev

Twenty years ago tomorrow Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was put under house arrest in his summer residence in the Crimea.

That same day this blogger was in the former GDR town of Saalfeld. When local people heard the news they were concerned and the presence of Soviet tanks on the streets caused worry and foreboding.

In March Gorbachev celebrated his 80th birthday in London at a gala evening in the Royal Albert Hall hosted by Kevin Spacey and Sharon Stone. An eccentric array of singers performed.
The highlight was a performance on a large screen of Gorbachev singing a Russian love song.
He laughed. "If necessary I'll become a pop singer," he said. "Raisa liked it when I sang."