Russians bid adieu to last Soviet leader but without Putin

Russians have paid their respects to the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, in a low-profile ceremony without President Vladimir Putin.

Hundreds of mourners lined up to pay their respects quietly next to Gorbachev's open casket, which was flanked by honor guards under the Russian flag in Moscow's historic Hall of Columns.

The hall has long been used for the funerals of high-ranking Russian officials, and is where the body of Joseph Stalin first lay in state during four days of national mourning after his death in 1953.

On Tuesday, Russian state television showed footage of Putin paying his respects by laying a bouquet of red roses next to Gorbachev's coffin.

The Kremlin, however, announced that Putin would not be able to attend Gorbachev's funeral on Saturday due to his work schedule.

The program, which was held in the presence of Gorbachev's family members, including his daughter Irina Virganskaya showed few signs of an official state ceremony.

Gorbachev was to be buried late Saturday at Moscow's prestigious Novodevichy Cemetery next to his wife, Raisa, who died of cancer in 1999.

Gorbachev died on Tuesday at the age of 91 in hospital after a long illness. When he was in power between 1985 and 1991, he tried to transform the Soviet Union with democratic reforms, which ultimately led to its destruction.

SS