An epoch has gone

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The first president of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin has suddenly died, aged 76. The cause of death was cardiac arrest, the Kremlin press-service reported.

Boris Yeltsin will remain in his contemporaries’ memory as a contradictory figure. Many people think he has been guilt in the “predatory privatisation”; many concern him to be a creator of Russia’s democracy. He was accused in promoting his relatives and close friends, which formed the so-called “Family”. But at the same time everybody noted his vigorous spirits and immense personal charisma, so that present politicians could just dream of his leader’s ability. He was threatened by impeachment, only several voices came short of it. In the last time of his presidency he was in poor health, and his adversaries told that he govern the country from the Central Clinic Hospital.
Many remember how he has defected from the party almost in live broadcast, his pass through the hall of the Supreme Soviet was one of his most bright appearance.

Then: 1991, Yeltsin spoke from an armour; 1996, Yeltsin was dancing on the stage (it turned out later that just at the moment he had a heart attack, but he did not show it). He is an author of multiple aphorisms, some his expressions are still famous and widely used.

The fact is: all today’s ruling elite is considered to be people of the Yeltsin’s epoch. He is one of the few leaders of such a high level who managed to leave his post himself, without coup d'etat and conspiracy of the “court” - that is quite a unique case in Russia’s history.

He was born on February 1, 1931 in a small village near Sverdlovsk (now Ekateriburg). In 1955 he graduated from the Ural Polytechnic University in civil engineering.

He was the Head of the Russian Federation since 1993 till the December 31, 1999 when he free-willingly left his post. He delegated his presidential authority to the head of the government, Vladimir Putin. In the New Year Night Yeltsin addressed to the Russian people and informed about his resignation. He said that Russia should enter the new millennium with “new politicians, new wise, strong, vigorous leaders. And we, who are now at the helm, we have to leave”.

A year ago, before Yeltsin’s 75th anniversary, during the press-conference in the Kremlin Vladimir Putin was asked how he appreciated his predecessor. “During the presidency of Yeltsin”, - Putin said, - “Russian people received the main thing, they received freedom; and it’s his great achievement”.

And so it is.

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