Thousands queue to pay tribute in farewell ceremony for Mikhail Gorbachev

People stand by the coffin of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev at the Pillar Hall of the House of the Unions, Moscow (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Thousands of mourners have lined up to pay tribute to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who launched drastic reforms that helped end the Cold War and precipitated the break-up of the Soviet Union, in a farewell snubbed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin’s refusal to declare a state funeral reflects its uneasiness about the legacy of Mr Gorbachev, who has been venerated worldwide for bringing down the Iron Curtain but reviled by many at home for the Soviet collapse and the ensuing economic meltdown that plunged millions into poverty.