Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin, the first President of Russia. Yeltsin's policy

Yeltsin, Boris Nikolaevich (1931 - 2007) - Russian statesman and politician, the first president of the Russian Federation, leader of the democratic movement in the late 1980s, leader of the resistance during the August putsch of 1991, initiator of the separation of the RSFSR from the USSR and the creation of a new Constitution.

Yeltsin is known primarily for his activities in the early 1990s of the 20th century, when he actively campaigned for the democratization of the country, the separation of the RSFSR from the USSR and the creation of a new type of state where the regions have greater independence. Yeltsin came to power during the August 1991 coup, when he stopped members of the State Emergency Committee and prevented them from coming to power. Later, he played a prominent role in the process of the collapse of the USSR and the formation of modern Russia. He is also the first president of the Russian Federation.

Short biography of Yeltsin

Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was born on February 1, 1931 in the Sverdlovsk region into a family of ordinary peasants. He studied well at school and after graduation he entered the Ural Polytechnic Institute, studied as an engineer. After graduation, he worked in various construction organizations until in 1963 he received the position of chief engineer at the Sverdlovsk house-building plant. Later he became its director.

Yeltsin's political career began with party activities in 1968. Since 1976, he has been the first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee, since 1981 he has become a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU. With the beginning of perestroika, Yeltsin's political career goes up, but this does not last long.

In 1985, he held the post of head of the construction department of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the first secretary of the CPSU MGK, a year later he became a candidate for the Politburo of the CPSU. During his tenure as leader of the party, Yeltsin shows himself to be an ardent democrat who is ready to defend his political ideals rather harshly and not even criticize the first persons of the state. In support of this, in 1987 he seriously criticized the current political situation and personally the activities of Gorbachev, for which he was immediately expelled from the Politburo. However, Yeltsin's political career does not end there; until the end of the 1980s, he was in disgrace, but still continues to work.

Thanks to his desire to establish democracy in the USSR, Yeltsin eventually becomes the head of the democratic movement. In 1989, he was elected a people's deputy of the next Congress, and later he became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In 1990, Yeltsin took the post of chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR.

Yeltsin's political activities before and after the collapse of the USSR

In 1990, Yeltsin tries to carry out several economic reforms that would help bring the country out of a deep crisis, but he encounters serious resistance from the leadership of the USSR. Relations between Yeltsin and Gorbachev only aggravate the situation and the RSFSR is increasingly talking about its desire to become an independent state.

In 1990, Yeltsin left the party and was elected president of the Russian Federation, thus declaring his opposition to the Union's policies. In 1991, the August coup rumbles, bringing Yeltsin to power. The Russian Federation and the CIS are being created, the USSR is disintegrating.

In 1992, Yeltsin again begins his work on reforming the state. He leads a series of political and economic reforms that should bring Russia out of the crisis and put it on the path of democracy, but the reforms do not bring the desired result. Dissatisfaction is growing within the government, there are constant disputes about the new Constitution, the reforms themselves and the future of the country. A conflict is brewing between the legislative and executive branches. In 1993, these events lead to the fact that an urgent council is convened, at which the question of confidence in the president and the Supreme Council is raised. As a result of the bloody events, known as the October Putsch, Yeltsin remains in the presidency, while the Supreme Soviet and other councils are finally liquidated. The country continues the path begun by Yeltsin.

Despite the fact that Yeltsin still enjoys confidence, discontent within the country is growing, various radical groups are emerging. The situation is aggravated by a number of difficult decisions made by the president in the framework of foreign policy, in particular, the decision to start the Chechen war. Despite all the falling ratings, Yeltsin still decides to run for a second presidential term. Despite disagreements even in the ranks of his team, he is still elected to the post in the second round.

During the second term, the country plunges into another economic crisis, a default occurs, the authorities are increasingly dissatisfied with the president, and he is rapidly losing his health. In 1999, Yeltsin, after a certain leapfrog, appoints Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as acting prime minister, and at the end of this year announces his resignation, without waiting for the end of the presidential term.

The results of Yeltsin's rule

Yeltsin was directly involved in the process of separation of the RSFSR from the USSR with the current collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the Russian Federation. Despite the fact that he sought to create a democratic country, his decisions in domestic and foreign policy today are interpreted by historians ambiguously.

In the early 1990s, Yeltsin tried to implement a series of economic and political reforms long overdue to bring the country out of the crisis, but faced serious obstacles from the leadership of the USSR. Not only relations between the USSR and the RSFSR are deteriorating, but also relations between Yeltsin and Gorbachev.

In 1990, Yeltsin left the party, and on June 12 he was elected President of the Russian Federation. The August putsch that followed and the collapse of the USSR only strengthened the position of the democrat Yeltsin, who became the head of a new state - the Russian Federation and created the CIS.

Since 1992, Yeltsin has again begun to carry out political and economic reforms, this time without hindrance. However, a number of reforms do not bring the desired result; an internal conflict between the legislative and executive branches is brewing in the government. The crisis in the country is aggravated, the authorities cannot agree, the new Constitution is still being developed and causes a lot of controversy, which ultimately leads to the holding of a council in 1993 on issues of confidence in the President and the Supreme Council, which ends in tragic events. As a result of the council, Yeltsin remains in power, and the country continues to move along the course he has outlined, but all the Soviets are liquidated. The events to disperse the Soviet were called the October Putsch. In December 1993, a new Constitution is adopted and the RSFSR turns into a republic of the presidential type. Yeltsin is still trusted, but separatist sentiments are growing inside the country.

The Chechen war, along with growing discontent within the state, hit Yeltsin's ratings hard, but this did not stop him from wanting to run for a second presidential term in 1996. Despite the growing split within the supreme power and his own team, Yeltsin still becomes the new president. During the second term, Yeltsin's influence on the political and economic situation in the country is weakening, he is losing ground. Another crisis and default happens in the country, and the Yeltsin government no longer shows the stability that it used to. The president's rating is falling lower and lower, and with it the health of Boris Nikolayevich is deteriorating.

In 1999, Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as acting prime minister, and at the end of the year he resigned during his New Year's address.

The results of Yeltsin's rule

One of the main achievements of Yeltsin in his political career is the separation of the RSFSR (Russia) from the Soviet Union and its transformation into a democratic state with a president at the head. As president, Yeltsin carried out a series of reforms to bring the country out of the crisis, but they were unsuccessful. The personality of Yeltsin and his activities today are assessed ambiguously.

The collapse of the ussr

By 1990 the idea of ​​perestroika had exhausted itself. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolution "On the concept of transition to a regulated market economy", followed by a resolution "Basic directions for the stabilization of the national economy and the transition to a market economy." Provision was made for the denationalization of property, the establishment of joint-stock companies, and the development of private entrepreneurship. The idea of ​​reforming socialism was buried.

In 1991, Article 6 of the USSR Constitution on the leading role of the CPSU was abolished.

The process of formation of new parties, mainly of an anti-communist persuasion, began. The crisis that engulfed the CPSU in 1989-1990 and the weakening of its influence allowed the communist parties of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to secede.

Since the spring of 1990, the center has been losing power over the regions and union republics.

The Gorbachev administration accepts the changes that have taken place as a fact, and all that remains for it is to legally fix its actual failures. In March 1990, the 3rd Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR took place, at which MS Gorbachev was elected President of the USSR.

Gorbachev raised the question before the leaders of the republics about the need to conclude a new Union Treaty. In March 1991, a referendum was held on the preservation of the USSR, in which 76% of citizens voted for its preservation. In April 1991, negotiations between the President of the USSR and the heads of the union republics took place in Novo-Ogaryovo. However, only 9 out of 15 republics took part, and almost all of them rejected Gorbachev's initiative to preserve a multinational state based on a federation of subjects.

By August 1991, thanks to the efforts of Gorbachev, it was possible to prepare a draft treaty on the formation of the Commonwealth of Sovereign States. The SSG was presented as a confederation with limited presidential power. It was the last attempt to save the USSR in any form.

The prospect of losing power over the republics did not suit many functionaries.

On August 19, 1991, a group of high-ranking officials (Vice-President of the USSR G. Yanaev, Prime Minister V. Pavlov, Minister of Defense D. Yazov), taking advantage of Gorbachev's vacation, established the State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP). Troops were sent to Moscow. However, the putschists were rebuffed, protest rallies were held, and barricades were built near the building of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR.

The President of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin and his team described the actions of the State Emergency Committee as an unconstitutional coup, and its decrees as having no legal force on the territory of the RSFSR. Yeltsin was supported by the Extraordinary Session of the Republic's Supreme Soviet, convened on August 21.

The putschists did not receive support from a number of military leaders and military units. Members of the GKChP were arrested on charges of attempting a coup. Gorbachev returned to Moscow.

In November 1991, Yeltsin signed a decree suspending the activities of the CPSU on the territory of the RSFSR.

These events accelerated the disintegration of the USSR. In August, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia withdrew from it. Gorbachev was forced to legally recognize the decision of the Baltic republics.

In September, the 5th Extraordinary Congress of People's Deputies decided to terminate its powers and dissolve itself.

On December 8, 1991, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the leaders of three Slavic republics - Russia (B.N. Yeltsin), Ukraine (L.M. Kravchuk) and Belarus (S.S. Shushkevich) announced the termination of the agreement on the formation of the USSR.

These states made a proposal to create the Commonwealth of Independent States - the CIS. In the second half of December, other union republics joined the three Slavic republics, except for the Baltic republics and Georgia.

On December 21, in Alma-Ata, the parties recognized the inviolability of the borders and guaranteed the fulfillment of the international obligations of the USSR.

February 1 marks the 81st anniversary of the birth of Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin, the first president of the Russian Federation.

In 2003, a monument to Yeltsin was opened in Kyrgyzstan on the territory of one of the Issyk-Kul boarding houses; in 2008, a memorial plaque to the first Russian president was installed in the village of Butka (Sverdlovsk region).

On the 80th anniversary of the birth of Boris Yeltsin in Yekaterinburg, on the street named after him, a monument was unveiled to him - a ten-meter obelisk stele made of light Ural marble. The architect and author of the memorial obelisk is Georgy Frangulyan, who is also the author of Yeltsin's tombstone.

The monument was installed near the business center "Demidov", where it is planned to open the Yeltsin Presidential Center.

Since 2003, the Sverdlovsk Region has been hosting annual international competitions among national women's volleyball teams for the "Boris Yeltsin Cup". In 2009, the tournament was included in the official calendar of the International Volleyball Federation.

Since 2006, the All-Russian Junior Tennis Tournament "Yeltsin Cup" has been held annually in Yekaterinburg.

From January 28 to February 6, 2011, the first International Tennis Tournament of the ITF series "Yeltsin Cup" for boys and girls under 18 years old was held in Kazan at the Tennis Academy under the patronage of the Boris Yeltsin Foundation.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

The Yeltsin era is an important period in the history of modern Russia, which is still differently assessed by many historians. Some see the first president of the Russian Federation as a supporter of democratic change who liberated the country from the communist yoke, for others he is the destroyer of the Soviet Union, whose rule led to the emergence of oligarchs and the squandering of national resources. In this article, we explore the time in which Boris Nikolayevich led the country, consider the main results of this period.

Election as President of Russia

It is believed that the Yeltsin era began on June 12, 1991, when he was elected President of the RSFSR. More than 57% of voters voted for him in the elections. In absolute terms, this is more than 45.5 million people. His main rival was Nikolai Ryzhkov, who was supported by the CPSU, but the opponent's result was 16.85%. The Yeltsin era began under the slogan of supporting Russia's sovereignty within the Soviet Union and fighting against the privileges of the nomenklatura.

The first decree of the new president was an order on measures to develop education. It was based on the support of this sphere, a number of proposals were of a declarative nature. Much has not been fulfilled. For example, a promise to send at least 10 thousand people abroad every year for internships, training and advanced training.

The collapse of the USSR is connected with the Yeltsin era. Already on December 1, a referendum on independence was held in Ukraine. A few days later, the Russian president met in Belovezhskaya Pushcha with the new head of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, and the head of the Supreme Council of Belarus, Stanislav Shushkevich. The Russian delegation presented a new project for the Union of Sovereign States, which was actively discussed at that time. It was signed despite the results of the referendum on the preservation of the USSR. At that time, the central government, headed by Gorbachev, was virtually paralyzed; it could not oppose anything to the heads of the republics.

The agreement was promptly ratified, already on December 25, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev resigned, handing over his residence in the Kremlin and the nuclear suitcase to Yeltsin.

Early years

The first years of the Yeltsin era were incredibly difficult. Already in the autumn of 1991 it became obvious that the USSR was unable to pay its foreign debt. The talks ended with a demand from foreign banks to urgently move on to market reforms. At the same time, the economic program of Yegor Gaidar appeared. It assumed the liberalization of prices, privatization, the conversion of the ruble, commodity intervention.

Yeltsin himself headed the government formed on November 6 until mid-1992. The starting point of the "shock therapy" was price liberalization. They were planned to be released on December 1, but the corresponding decree came into force only on January 2, 1992. The market began to fill up with consumer goods, and the monetary policy of issuing money provoked hyperinflation. Real pensions and wages fell, and living standards plummeted. It was only in 1993 that these processes were stopped.

One of Yeltsin's first important decisions was the decree on free trade. This document actually legalized entrepreneurship. A lot of people were engaged in petty trading on the street. It was also decided to start loans-for-shares auctions and voucher privatization, which led to the fact that most of the state property was in the hands of a limited group of people, that is, the oligarchs. Meanwhile, the country faced massive wage arrears and a decline in production.

constitutional reform

The nature of the Yeltsin era was democratic, as evidenced by the December 1993 referendum on the adoption of a new draft Constitution. Almost 58.5% of voters voted for him. The constitution was adopted.

This document gave the president significant powers, while the importance of parliament was greatly reduced.

freedom of speech

Speaking briefly about the Yeltsin era, it should be noted that one of its distinguishing features was freedom of speech. Its symbol was the satirical program "Dolls", which was released from 1994 to 2002. It ridiculed popular government officials and politicians, including the president himself.

At the same time, numerous evidence has been preserved that in 1991-1993 Yeltsin controlled Russian television. Issues of individual programs were removed from the air if they contained criticism of the president's actions.

Even officially private TV companies got it. For example, Yeltsin's associates recall that in 1994 the head of state did not like the way NTV covered the war in Chechnya. The President ordered to deal with the owner of the TV channel, Vladimir Gusinsky. Tom even briefly had to leave for London.

Chechen War

For many, Russia in the Yeltsin era is associated with the war in Chechnya. Problems in this Caucasian republic began as early as 1991, when the rebellious general Dzhokhar Dudayev proclaimed an independent Ichkeria. Soon, separatist sentiments flourished in Chechnya.

At the same time, a unique situation developed: Dudayev did not pay taxes to the federal budget, forbade intelligence officers from entering the territory of the republic, but at the same time continued to receive subsidies from the treasury. Until 1994, Chechnya continued to receive oil, which was not paid for in any way. Moreover, Dudayev resold it abroad. Moscow supported the anti-Dudaev opposition, but did not interfere in the conflict until a certain point. At the same time, a civil war actually began in the republic.

In November 1994, the opposition, with the support of the Russian special services, attempted to storm Grozny, which failed. After that, Yeltsin decided to send troops into Chechnya. The Kremlin officially called the subsequent events the restoration of constitutional order.

Assessing the nature and results of the reign of the Yeltsin era, many note that this was one of the most disastrous decisions, both the plan and its implementation were unsuccessful. Ill-considered actions led to a large number of casualties among the civilian population and the military. Tens of thousands of people died.

In August 1996, federal troops were driven out of Grozny. After that, the Khasavyurt agreements were signed, which were considered by many as a betrayal.

In 1996, Yeltsin won a victory over the communist Gennady Zyuganov in the second round, despite the failed starting positions. After the end of the campaign, he was turned off for a long time from government, as his health was severely undermined. Even the inauguration took place according to a reduced program.

The state was led by politicians who financed or led the election campaign. Chubais received the post of head of the presidential administration, Vladimir Potanin became first deputy chairman of the government, and Boris Berezovsky became deputy secretary of the Security Council.

In November, Yeltsin underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. At that time, Chernomyrdin acted as president. The President returned to the leadership of the state only in 1997.

Premier leapfrog

This time was marked by the signing of a decree on the denomination of the ruble, negotiations with the Chechen leader Maskhadov. In the spring of 1998, the Chernomyrdin government was dismissed, and Sergei Kiriyenko was appointed prime minister on the third attempt.

In August 1998, two days after Yeltsin's confident statement that there would be no devaluation of the ruble, it did happen. The Russian currency depreciated four times. Kiriyenko's government has been sacked.

On August 21, the majority of the State Duma deputies proposed that the president voluntarily resign. However, he refused, and in September Primakov became the new prime minister.

In May, the impeachment proceedings were initiated by the Parliament. Five charges were brought against Yeltsin. On the eve of the vote, Primakov was fired and Stepashin was appointed in his place. None of the charges received the required number of votes.

Stepashin did not stay as prime minister for long, in August he was replaced by Vladimir Putin, whom Yeltsin officially announced as his successor. At the end of 1999, the situation worsened. Chechen fighters attacked Dagestan; residential buildings were blown up in Moscow, Volgodonsk and Buynaksk. At Putin's suggestion, the president announced the start of an antiterrorist operation.

Resignation

On December 31 at noon Moscow time, Boris Yeltsin announced that he was resigning from the presidency. He attributed this to his poor health. The head of state asked for forgiveness from all citizens of the country. It was the end of the Yeltsin era.

Vladimir Putin was appointed acting, who on the same day addressed the Russians with a New Year's address. On the same day, a decree was signed guaranteeing Yeltsin protection from prosecution, as well as substantial material benefits for him and his family.

Public opinion

The nature of the Yeltsin era and the results of the reign of the first president of Russia continue to be summed up to this day.

According to opinion polls, 40% of Russians positively assess its historical role, 41% speak negatively. At the same time, in 2000, immediately after his resignation, only 18% assessed him positively, and 67% negatively.

Authorities' assessments

The results of the Yeltsin era are assessed differently by the Russian authorities. It is known that in 2006, Putin said that the main achievement during the reign of the first Russian president was to provide freedom to citizens. This is its main historical merit.

In 2011, then-president Dmitry Medvedev said that the breakthrough that the country made in the 1990s should not be underestimated. Now citizens should be grateful to Yeltsin for the reforms carried out.

Opinions of political scientists

Political scientists emphasize that under Yeltsin, economic and political competition developed in the country, which was not the case before, a civil society and an independent press began to form.

At the same time, it is recognized that the transition to democracy from totalitarianism could not be painless, certain mistakes were made. In addition, there is an opinion that it is pointless to blame Yeltsin for the collapse of the USSR. It was an inevitable process, the elites in the republics had long desired independence, a way out from under the influence of Moscow.

When Yeltsin came to power, the country's economy was in a catastrophic state. There was a shortage of everything, foreign exchange reserves were practically exhausted, oil cost about $10 per barrel. The country could not be saved from starvation without drastic measures.

Privatization has led to the emergence of world-class companies in the country.

The position of public figures and politicians

Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, speaking about the time of Yeltsin's reign in the country, repeatedly noted that there was no democracy under him. In his opinion, he should enter the historical memory as one of the main destroyers and destroyers of the social infrastructure of the Russian state.

The term "Yeltsinism" was introduced by politicians and public figures. It was understood as a regime that led to the destruction of all spiritual and social values ​​in the country.

"Russia, washed with blood"

Estimates of the work of the first president of Russia are given in numerous publicistic books, articles and studies. In 2016, a book by Fyodor Razzakov was published entitled "Bandits of the Yeltsin era, or Russia, washed with blood."

In this work, the author tries to answer the question, the 90s were so positive, remaining in the people's memory under the epithet "dashing". Razzakov recreates that time with amazing scrupulousness. He assures that there is no historical untruth in the book, since it is based on the real-life criminal chronicle of those years. It was collected from all kinds of printed sources - magazines, newspapers, memoirs and memoirs.

The book "Bandits of the Yeltsin era" clearly recreates the features of that era, attempts are made to evaluate them as objectively as possible.

For a person who survived the "dashing nineties", this period is associated with crime, queues, and the popularization of American culture. And also with the image of the president conducting the German orchestra and dancing "Kalinka-Malinka". It was a time of unlimited freedom, wild capitalism and a reassessment of values. There is no exact periodization, but we can assume that the era of bandits and general devastation ended when Yeltsin stepped down as president.

early years

He was originally from the Sverdlovsk region. He was born on February 1, 1931. The childhood of the future politician passed in the city of Berezniki: here his father worked at the construction site of a chemical plant. After leaving school, Boris Yeltsin entered the Ural Polytechnic Institute. Received a degree in civil engineering. In his student years he went in for sports, played for the city volleyball team.

Sverdlovsk regional committee

In the mid-fifties, the career of Boris Yeltsin began. He mastered several construction specialties. Joined the party. In 1975, he took the post of secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee. By his order, a high-rise building was erected in the city, which the locals call differently: “Wisdom Tooth”, “White House”, “Party Member”. Yeltsin also organized the construction of a highway that connects Sverdlov with the northern part of the region. Thanks to his active work, the inhabitants of the barracks found housing in apartment buildings.

Moscow city committee

Boris Yeltsin held the post of secretary of the Moscow City Committee since 1985. With his arrival, the purge of the party apparatus of Moscow began. He deprived the positions of many officials in the MGU CPSU. Under Yeltsin, a ban was introduced on the demolition of buildings of historical significance.

People's Deputy of the USSR

Yeltsin did not win the 1989 elections. But one of the deputies refused the mandate in his favor. The first Russian president was one of the most scandalous personalities in Russian politics. In 1989, he was invited to the United States, and, according to the media, he performed in a drunken state. However, this story was perceived as a provocation against Yeltsin, whose views differed from the official ideology. In 1990, the future president was in a plane accident. Hints appeared in the newspapers that this catastrophe was organized by the KGB. In May of the same year, Yeltsin was elected chairman of the Supreme Soviet, in which the notes in the press played a significant role.

August coup

In June 1991, the first national elections were held in Russia. Yeltsin collected 57% of the votes. Two months later, an event occurred that millions of residents of the post-Soviet space associate with the riots in Moscow and the endless "Swan Lake" on television. Yeltsin played a leading role here, turning the Russian House of Soviets into a center of resistance. So there was no huge multinational state. We will not go into the details of the economic and ideological crises that engulfed the country at the end of the millennium. Let's move on to the main part of today's story - to that significant day when Yeltsin stepped down from the presidency.

Courageous act

When did Yeltsin step down as president? At the peak of the difficult situation in Russia. Many politicians and experts even today call Yeltsin's act unprecedented and courageous. Although some believe that this step was somewhat belated.

Many people criticize Yeltsin's policy, paying special attention to miscalculations in the international arena. At the same time, researchers note numerous merits, including the creation of the Constitution.

When Yeltsin stepped down as president

The first president gave the impression of an eccentric personality. The way Boris Yeltsin stepped down as president was perceived by ordinary citizens as a surprise, a whim. On December 31, the country celebrated as usual. This day for every former citizen of the USSR is associated with Olivier salad, Soviet champagne and the President's speech. It is, as a rule, predictable, of little content. But not the last New Year's speech of the first Russian president. This performance amazed the whole world, and later gave rise to many legends. So, Boris Nikolayevich was later credited with the words "I'm leaving, I'm tired." He didn't say them.

When did Yeltsin step down as president of Russia? A few minutes before the start of the new millennium. Citizens tuned in for a carefree celebration, for cheerful conversations and watching New Year's programs. But it was not there. The night from December 31 to January 1 was devoted to talk about Boris Nikolayevich and his successor. TV crews edited a whole film dedicated to the life and work of this outstanding personality with amazing speed. There were no traditional shows with the participation of pop stars this New Year's Eve. Only politics.

Presidential Marathon

Famous politicians and public figures love to write memoirs. More precisely, to order books about yourself from professional writers. Boris Nikolaevich was no exception. In 2000, the book “Presidential Marathon” was published, which contains the answer to the question “Why did Yeltsin leave the presidency?”.

There is a version that he did not plan to participate in the 1996 elections. By that time, it had lost its former popularity, in which the Chechen campaign played an important role. His main opponent was the communist leader Zyuganov. Perhaps that is why he decided to run for a second term. President Yeltsin needed a successor. But back to the events of 1999.

Boris Yeltsin, according to the book "Presidential Marathon", informed Alexander Voloshin and his daughter Tatyana about his decision. My wife found out about it only on the morning of December 31st. Yeltsin told Naina Iosifovna about his upcoming resignation from the post of President of the Russian Federation a few minutes before he got into the official car and left for the Kremlin. By the way, the relatives of Boris Nikolaevich were immensely happy. During the nine years of his presidency, as Yeltsin's widow later said, they were quite tired.

Elections to the Duma were held the day before. The new Unity party, led by the then little-known but sympathetic Putin, showed good results. This was the impetus for making an important decision. But why December 31st? Why did Yeltsin resign as president of the Russian Federation in the last hours of the outgoing year?

brilliant move

By his resignation, Boris Yeltsin predetermined the victory of Vladimir Putin in the upcoming presidential elections. According to most political experts, it was a brilliant move. In addition, Yeltsin relinquished power voluntarily. And this step could be regarded as a courageous act. After all, none of the Russian and Soviet rulers has ever given up power of their own free will. It was an unprecedented event in national history.

In the last years of his reign, Yeltsin often replaced some people with others. The scene in which the President of Russia pronounces the phrase “They didn’t sit down like that!” With a formidable look, after which his subordinates in a hurry take the “right” places, has become legendary. Despite unexpected actions that seemed strange to many, Yeltsin managed to form an effective team.

Six months before he delivered the New Year's speech, which later went down in history, State Duma deputies attempted to remove him from presidential duties. A committee was set up to prepare the document. It contained accusations of the collapse of the USSR, the unleashing of the Chechen war, the genocide of the peoples of Russia. In December it was close to zero. Prime Minister Putin, meanwhile, was gaining great popularity.

Yeltsin resigned from the presidency suddenly, on New Year's Eve. Thus, he caught his opponents by surprise. Putin was appointed acting, who on that significant night delivered his first New Year's address to Russian citizens. The Prime Minister signed a decree the same day that guaranteed Boris Yeltsin protection from prosecution.

Yeltsin's last address was solemn and emotional. Having uttered the final phrase, he fell silent, and, as the cameraman later claimed, tears were pouring down his face. The Russians were in extreme agitation. They didn't know what lay ahead of them. And a new era was waiting for them - the era of a strong ruler who is unlikely to ever deliver such a speech.