After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007) became Russia's first president. However, he couldn't realize the rule of law on the path to prosperity promised to the Russian people within a market economy, and he passed away at the age of 76. Remembered in our collective memory as the man who stood atop a tank and confronted the coup plotters, this Russian leader inherited a state in chaos and handed it over to a then relatively unknown figure, Vladimir Putin, in the final days of 1999 amid another bout of chaos.
Who is Boris Yeltsin?
As an anti-communist idealistic leader, Yeltsin challenged the formidable secret service, the KGB, and operated with a mindset that democracy wasn't all that crucial. He would sometimes engage in diplomatic scandals while under the influence, and would disappear when needed.
When he took over power from Gorbachev, he was quite popular. His opposition to the coup attempted by hardliners in 1991, and his support for Gorbachev during the coup attempt, earned him admiration. He aimed to transform Russia into a modern economy, doing what Gorbachev couldn't. In 1992, Yeltsin released state-controlled prices and aggressively pursued privatization. However, the antiquated Soviet-era economy couldn't keep up. Western banks cut off credit, and the ruble collapsed. Yeltsin could do little more than watch. The most influential economic factor in the country became the mafia.
During Boris Yeltsin's era, hyperinflation gripped the country. Old party bosses and the mafia obstructed privatization. Before long, privatization became synonymous with theft. When the parliament began to grumble, a powerful opposition sought to slow down Yeltsin's reforms. In response, the democratic leader bombed the parliament with tanks in 1993. 176 people lost their lives. The elections that followed did not change the situation; Yeltsin's opponents filled the new parliament. The Russian leader became more withdrawn. Aleksandr Korsakov, his deputy, became the second most influential figure.
In terms of foreign policy, during Yeltsin's time, Russia continued to swagger around as if the USSR hadn't collapsed. He showed no mercy to Chechnya, which had declared independence in 1991, sending the Red Army into the region without a clear plan, resulting in devastation. While 40,000 mostly civilian lives were lost in this war, the Chechens' resilience stood as strong as a rock. Boris Yeltsin would later admit that Chechnya was his biggest mistake.
Yeltsin entered the 1996 elections with significant media support and a Western-style campaign. The generous use of a $10 billion IMF loan played a crucial role. The Western world and local opposition claimed these elections were dubious. However, he suffered another heart attack and stepped back. He constantly sought a solution by changing prime ministers, and finally, in August 1999, a former KGB agent, Vladimir Putin, emerged as Yeltsin's fourth prime minister in 18 months, poised to take the stage, never to look back.
In 1999, he once again launched a well-planned operation into Chechnya. Russian forces turned the capital of Chechnya, Grozny, into a ghost town with intense bombardment. The image of a powerful Russia re-emerged, and this tableau was credited to Boris Yeltsin and the new Prime Minister Putin. On the last night of 1999, surprising the world, Yeltsin announced that he was relinquishing power, designating Putin as his successor.
Caught intoxicated or under the influence of medication in many public instances, he became very popular in the media. His father, exiled by Stalin, was a constant target of Gorbachev's criticism. Yeltsin passed away in 2007. Despite an official state ceremony, only 3000 people attended his funeral.
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