Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the funeral of Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union’s last leader, the Kremlin has confirmed.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Mr Putin’s "work schedule" would not permit him to attend the event on Saturday.
Russian media released images of Putin laying flowers next to the open casket of Gorbachev at a hospital in Moscow on Thursday.
Gorbachev’s reforms helped end the Cold War, but saw the demise of the Soviet Union, which Mr Putin has lamented.
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