Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has been hospitalized following an "aggravation" of an unspecified illness, but said he was in an upbeat mood and determined to fight for his recovery, Russian media reported.
The 83-year-old former president, who has been battling diabetes, said Thursday he was in a hospital, "connected to monitors," the Interfax news agency reported, adding that Gorbachev's voice sounded brisk over the phone.
"Yes, I've been hospitalized, but you know my character: It is aimed at fighting, at life," he was quoted as saying.
Gorbachev told the Russian News Service that his health had taken a turn for the worse lately.
"My condition has been more or less OK over the past seven days, but today I'm in a hospital. There's been an aggravation," Gorbachev was quoted as saying. "I'm lying down under a monitor, all covered with wires."
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also said that his illness has prevented him from watching the news on this year's Nobel week, Russian News Service reported. The winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner is set to be announced Friday.
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