Vladimir Putin will be notably absent from the funeral of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev today.
The 91-year-old, who helped bring the Cold War to a peaceful end, died on Tuesday.
The Russian president has praised Gorbachev's impact on world history but says he's got a busy work schedule today.
Pavel Palazhchenko, Mr Gorbachev's former translator, says the pair clashed over the conflict in Ukraine.
