Mentioning in the passages the situation in Russia we should understand that exactly the same situation at that time was in Kazakhstan, and other CIS republics. Mikhail Gorbachev, in his book "After the Kremlin" told about his life after leaving his post as head of state and shared reflections on the most significant events that took place in the country and the world. In 2016 the book was translated into English and was published by Polity Press, entitled "The New Russia". Mikhail Gorbachev recalls the events of 1991-1993. Among them - the fall of the USSR, the economic crisis, the execution of the Russian parliament.

In shock

By August 1991, after the most difficult crisis months was developed and approved the anti-crisis program, which joined the Baltic republics. The work on the new Union treaty was completed, and as 20 August it was to be signed by the Republic leaders. In the autumn, we planned an extraordinary party congress that would turned it in the direction of social democracy and reformism. Of course, in any case, it had to be a hard time, but I'm sure if it was not a coup, it would be possible to avoid the follow destructive orgy.

The coup failed, but it opened the way to the separatists, radicals, extremists. The consequences of this can be listed for a long time. The collapse of the union state, the rollback of democracy in almost all the republics, the chaos in the economy, which benefited the most greedy and unscrupulous and turned almost everyone in the poor, ethnic conflicts and bloodshed in Russia and the other republics, and finally – shooting of the Supreme Council of Russia in October 1993.

I am often asked if I feel responsible for all this? It is said that in late 1991, after Belovezha collusion I "should act more decisively". My answer: I fought for a unified state to the last. It was impossible to prevent a slide towards civil conflict situations, and possibly to civil war. Clearly, what this could mean in the country, packed with weapons, not only conventional but also nuclear. Therefore, after serious consideration, I came to a decision that I believe was the only right that time in the circumstances – and said that I stop discharge duties of the USSR President.