In an article published in the anti-Kremlin Novaya Gazeta paper on Monday, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev criticized the current Russian leadership for eroding the foundations of democracy in the country.
"Not everybody has noticed that changes, which will lead to serious shifts in Russian politics, are currently building up in Russian society," Gorbachev said.
The former leader stressed that Russia has far more pressing problems than the ones outlined in President Dmitry Medvedev's recent state of the nation address.
He named corruption as the main cancer eating away at Russian society and said that the country's dependence on oil and gas made the economy extremely vulnerable.
He also said the government had failed to provide for its poorest subjects, even in times of economic prosperity.
"A competitive democratic environment needs to be built, with sources of initiative on all levels, civil society efforts and real public control," Gorbachev said. "Only when these conditions are put in place, will the most difficult problems be solved,"
MOSCOW, December 13 (RIA Novosti)
