“
1931-2022, Mikhail Gorbachev.
Life of a man who changed the world and gave us hope ,” headlines the independent Russian media
Meduza
on August 31
.
“
The man who gave the people hope
,” writes the Russian television channel RTVI.
This word, “
hope
”, is probably the most used this morning in the Russian-speaking press and on social networks to describe what Mikhail Gorbachev represented for an entire people.
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But this vision is far from unanimous.
Because if in France, his name is especially associated with Perestroika and Glasnost, in Russia, pronouncing the name of “Gorbachev” during a dinner is the assurance of triggering heated debates between guests.
Unsurprisingly, his death therefore rekindled passions on social networks.
Cold War and Pizza Hut
"
Gorbachev was a man out of proportion to his time
," said a surfer on the Russian Facebook, Vkontakte.
“
The heart of Russian politics stopped beating on August 30,
” ventures another.
Answers and comments are not long in coming: “
Today, Judas, the great American pizza lover, left us
”, objects a user.
Read alsoMikhail Gorbachev, last leader of the USSR, died at the age of 91
Because yes, if Mikhail Gorbachev is famous for having marked the end of the Cold War, he is also famous for having installed - to the great dismay of the Khrushchev generation - fast food restaurants in Soviet soil.
And when the American company Pizza Hut launches an advertisement aimed at the USSR, Gorbachev does not hesitate to play his own role in a staging that perfectly illustrates the ambivalence of the Russians for this leader.
In this short film, after crossing Red Square, Gorbachev humbly enters one of the restaurant chain's establishments.
Inside, a Soviet family is seated.
"
It's because of him that our economy is upside down
," says the father when he sees him.
“
It is thanks to him that we have new opportunities!
retorts his thirty-something son.
“
It is because of him that we have political instability
”, continues to rail against the patriarch.
"
It is thanks to him that we have freedom!"
“replies the young man.
"
Complete Chaos
"
.
“
Prospects!
".
While father and son inveigh in turn, an elegant middle-aged lady intervenes, brandishing her slice of pizza like a glass of vodka: “
Thanks to him, we have Pizza Hut
”.
The two men, suddenly calmed down, smile broadly.
Gorbachev, who has witnessed the scene, raises his pizza towards the assembly, satisfied.
Comedian Zelensky better watch out...
However, this culinary “
revolution
” is perceived by a certain part of the population as a betrayal: Gorbachev introduced American culture to Russia.
This is why today, on social networks, his detractors are having a field day.
“
During the funeral, a pizza could have been served instead of kutya
[rice with raisins cooked without salt or sugar traditionally served after a funeral, Ed.]”
,
laughs, without much success, a surfer.
Providential man or “traitor”?
It is perhaps this ambivalence that characterizes so well the relationship that Russians have with the man of Perestroika: between the vision of a Gorbachev being treated and that of a savior, their hearts waver.
Because how not to also see in him the providential man, the one who opened Russia to the world?
“
The economic potential of the country was drying up, the tension in the union republics was increasing, the goods from the state stores were strangely transferred to the cooperatives, the mood of the people was gloomy.
All of this demanded rapid and adequate responses - economic, humanitarian, intellectual
", enumerates an Internet user, before drawing up a bitter assessment of Gorbachev's reaction:
“We don't know why, instead of taking firm decisions, Mikhail Sergeevich sometimes kept silent, sometimes he made excuses... Let's call it that
”.
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: in 1989, "we made the only acceptable decision"
Not all Russians are so categorical.
“
No matter what you think of Gorbachev, he made a name for himself in history.
Perestroika, freedom of expression, Glasnost: it's all thanks to him!
“, tempers in this sense a man who says he became a journalist in 1981.
"
At that time, the printing press was forbidden to turn on the machine without the agreement of a representative of Glavlit
[General Directorate for Literature and Publishing, the main body of censorship in the Soviet Union, editor's note]
who barred ruthlessly the lines about the reduction in the quantity of cattle, the bad harvests, the invasions of locusts... In 1985, I remember well the day when our editor-in-chief summoned us and said to us:
"
That's it !
Censorship is cancelled!”.
It was like a breath of fresh air.
We began to write about everything with avidity, particularly boldly criticizing the district committee and the regional committee.
After our publications, the heads of the general secretaries and party presidents flew in all directions.
What an era!
“, he recalls with nostalgia.
"
And then...the food disappeared from the shelves. "
There were the food stamps.
Huge queues for wine and vodka.
Demonstrations.
The endless congresses of people's deputies.
The GKChP
[State Committee for the State of Emergency Ed]
.
The collapse of the USSR, the consequences of which will come back to haunt our descendants.
That's it too, Gorbachev!
“Nevertheless nuance the former Soviet journalist.
Before concluding: “
May the Lord rest his very, very sinful soul.
Although it is unlikely: he did not believe in God
”.