>I think you are overthinking it. 

Possibly. But isn't there also a tradition [also seen in China] where, faced with high levels of state censorship, the press turns to historical or mythological figures to make allegorical comment on current events, that they can't express openly?

  >In Russia there is a strong tradition of writing "either good or none" about deceased people...

We have the same concept in English. The saying is "Don't speak ill of the dead"

But the obituary does make a lot of criticisms of Gorbachev's failings, as well as praising his successes. Having read it all the way through [and it's a lengthy piece!] I'm left with the message "He did some great things and he did some stupid things. But his heart was in the right place and he was a was basically a decent human being"

Almost the last line in the obit recounts how Gorbachev choked up and left the stage in tears halfway through singing an old Russian song in memory of his dead wife. Somehow I can't but see that as a pointed contrast with Vladimir Putin who would never allow himself to be portrayed as the kind of man who cries in public.