June 22, 2009 14:15

Mikhail Gorbachev sells album of romantic ballads for £100,000

He's recorded the tracks to raise money for a good cause

An album of romantic ballads recorded by former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev has sold for $164,940 (roughly £100,000) to an anonymous British bidder at a charity auction.

'Songs for Raisa' sees Gorbachev sing a number of Russian songs that were favourites of his wife Raisa, who died in 1999.

"The disc includes seven of Raisa's favourite romantic songs," Gorbachev said in a press conference, adding that he was helped on the album by Andrei Makarevich, frontman of Russian band Mashina Vremeni.

The disc was sold in London at a charity auction in aid of the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation, reports The Guardian. An "anonymous British philanthropist" placed the winning bid.

Gorbachev himself sang a song from the album at the auction, taking to the stage to perform 'Old Letters' in front of the 350 guests who included Gordon Brown's wife, Sarah, and 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling.