The Russian leader known for his policy of perestroika was Mikhail Gorbachev. He introduced perestroika, meaning "restructuring," in the 1980s to reform the Soviet economy and promote openness within politics. Gorbachev aimed to revitalize the stagnant Soviet system by introducing elements of market economics and reducing state control. This policy, alongside his initiative for glasnost (openness), ultimately contributed to significant changes in Soviet society and governance. While perestroika was intended to strengthen socialism, it inadvertently led to increased demands for democracy and independence among various Soviet republics, resulting in the dissolution of the Soviet Union.