Ex-Soviet President Gorbachev records CD for late wife Raisa

Mikhail Gorbachev has recorded an album of songs dedicated to the memory of his wife Raisa, who died of leukemia ten years ago. The CD will be sold at a charity auction in London.

The former Soviet President has called the CD “Songs for Raisa”, Interfax reports.

“The CD lists seven of Raisa's favorite songs,” Gorbachev told the reporters.

“I sang them myself. The CD will be on sale at our London charity auction,” he said, adding that the CD will not go on public sale in music stores.

Raisa Gorbacheva, whose devotion to her husband was legendary, died of leukemia in September 1999.

To honor her memory, the former leader of the country founded the Gorbachev Fund, a charity foundation supporting Russian children with leukemia.

Gorbachev sang one of the songs live at the charity dinner in London last week, causing a storm of applause, Interfax adds. Among the dinner's guests were Boris Johnson, Sarah Brown, J.K. Rowling, Vanessa Redgrave and other prominent political and cultural figures.