The first President of the Russian Federation left his mark in history firstly as a reformer. He instigated introduction of market-oriented reforms and made an attempt to establish a commonwealth of equal independent states. During his rule the Communist Party of the Soviet Union lost its absolute power and the parliament was formed by representatives of different parties. Besides, Boris Yeltsin introduced separation of powers.

Many Russians gave support to the first President several times: firstly when he was elected the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, secondly when he became the President of Russia, then during the referendum asking about the course chosen by the government and finally in 1996 during the second presidential elections.

Boris Yeltsin was born 1 February 1931 in the village of Butka, the Sverdlovsk Region. He graduated from Ural Polytechnic University in 1955 with a degree in engineering. 13 years he worked in this field, but in 1968 he became the head of construction department of the Sverdlovsk regional committee. In 1976-1985 he occupied the position of the First Secretary of the Sverdlovsk Regional Committee. After that he became a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Following his ambitions Boris Yeltsin was elected a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the USSR in 1981.

November 1985-1989 – the first deputy of the chairman of Construction Committee

1989-1990 – the chairman of the Construction Committee of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

29 May 1990 in the course of the Congress of People’s Deputies Yeltsin was elected the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and held this rank till June 1991. 12 July 1990 Boris Yeltsin deserted the Communist Party.

12 June of 1991 was the day when for the first time ever the President of the Russia was elected by popular choice.

7-8 December presidents of Russia, Ukraine and the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Byelorussia met in Belovezhskaya Pushcha to determine the fate of the Soviet Union. They agreed that the USSR had to be dissolved and a new Commonwealth of Independent States would replace it.

7 May 1992 - the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

21 September 1993 the Congress of People’s Deputies and the Supreme Soviet were dissolved by Presidential decree#1400. In their turn the members of the parliament declared Yeltsin removed from presidency. 4 October troops were brought into Moscow.

3 July 1996 - in the course of direct election he maintained his post of the President.

December 1993-2000 – the Chairman of the Commonwealth of Independent States

The second presidential term was the most difficult for Boris Yeltsin in view of his wretched health. Russian citizens witnessed a number of diplomatic mistakes he made and sometimes many of them were ashamed for his behavior or deeds. Thus, when on 31 December of 1999 Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin said he resigned from his post, many took this news calmly. The first President of Russia devolved power on Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister.

Boris Yeltsin wrote three books including Presidential Marathon and Notes of the President.

Boris Yeltsin died of heart failure on 23 of April at the age of 76. He was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery on 25 April 2007, following a period during which his body had lain in state in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow.

Sources:

    www.rian.ru
    persona.rin.ru

 

Olga Pletneva