Where did Yeltsin live? Boris Yeltsin - biography, information, personal life. A leader known in narrow circles

His father Nikolai Ignatievich Yeltsin was a builder, mother Klavdiya Vasilievna- a dressmaker. Both of Boris Yeltsin’s grandfathers – Vasily Starygin and Ignatius Yeltsin – were middle peasants and had strong farms. During the period of collectivization they were dispossessed and exiled. In the early 30s, Yeltsin's father and his brother Adrian (he died during the Great Patriotic War) were arrested following a denunciation and received three years in the camps. The children in the family knew nothing about their father’s arrest. For the first time, Boris Yeltsin (already as President of Russia) became acquainted with his “case,” which was kept in the KGB archives, only in 1992. In 1937, shortly after Nikolai Ignatievich Yeltsin was released, the family moved to the Perm region to build the Berezniki potash plant.

Photo:

Brothers Boris and Mikhail Yeltsin with their parents

Having successfully graduated from high school. A. S. Pushkin in Berezniki, B. N. Eltsin entered the construction department of the Ural Polytechnic Institute. S. M. Kirov (now the Ural Federal University - UrFU named after B. N. Yeltsin) in Sverdlovsk with a degree in industrial and civil engineering.

Boris Yeltsin's student notebooks with lecture notes

While studying, he met his future wife Naina Girina. In 1956, a year after graduation, they got married. The family remained to live in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), where Yeltsin worked as a distribution worker in the Uraltyazhtrubstroy trust.

Archive of the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center

Boris and Naina Yeltsin, 1950s

A certified builder, he should have received the position of foreman. However, before taking it over, Yeltsin preferred to get working professions: he worked alternately as a bricklayer, concrete worker, carpenter, carpenter, glazier, painter, plasterer, crane operator...

In 1957, a daughter, Elena, was born into the Yeltsin family, and three years later, a daughter, Tatyana.

Photo from the family archive/Archive of the Presidential Center B.N. Yeltsin

Boris Yeltsin with his daughters Tatyana and Elena

From 1957 to 1963 – foreman, senior foreman, chief engineer, head of the construction department of the Yuzhgorstroy trust. In 1963, Yeltsin became the chief engineer of the best house-building plant in the field (DSK), and soon became its director.

Professional achievements and organizational talent attracted B.N. Yeltsin received the attention of party organs.

In 1968, Yeltsin was appointed head of the construction department of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU. In 1975, he was elected secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU. In 1976 - first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU. In 1981, Boris Yeltsin became a member of the CPSU Central Committee.

Years of work as the first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU placed B.N. Yeltsin among the most promising party leaders. The region's successes have been noted more than once by the Soviet government and the CPSU Central Committee. Boris Yeltsin’s popularity also grew among residents of the region. The years during which he led the region were marked by large-scale housing and industrial construction, construction of roads (including the Yekaterinburg-Serov highway), and intensive development of agriculture.

Archive of the Presidential Center B.N. Yeltsin

Boris Yeltsin. In production. Sverdlovsk

All these years, B.N.’s wife Yeltsina - - worked as a project manager at the Vodokanal design institute.

In 1985, B.N. Yeltsin was invited to work in Moscow, in the central apparatus of the party. Since April 1985, he has been working as the head of the Construction Department of the CPSU Central Committee, and since July of the same year - Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee for construction issues.

By this time, Yeltsin’s daughters had graduated from universities. Elena - Ural Polytechnic Institute with a degree in civil and industrial engineering, Tatyana - Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics of Moscow State University. In 1979, the first granddaughter appeared in the Yeltsin family - Elena had a daughter, Katya. And in 1982, Tatyana’s first son was born - his grandfather’s namesake, Boris Yeltsin. A year later, Elena gave birth to Masha.

In December 1985, B.N. Yeltsin headed the Moscow City Party Committee and in a short time gained enormous popularity in various strata of society. His working style was sharply different from the traditional apparatus command-administrative style to which Muscovites were accustomed during the years of Brezhnev's stagnation. However, the party elite treated the energetic Moscow secretary with caution. Yeltsin faced opposition from old party cadres - in such conditions it was extremely difficult to work effectively in a high position.

In September 1987, Yeltsin sent a letter to the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee M.S. Gorbachev with a request to relieve him from his post as a candidate member of the Politburo. The letter contained criticism of party orthodoxies, who, according to Yeltsin, were slowing down the perestroika begun by Gorbachev. However, Gorbachev did not respond to the letter. In this situation, Yeltsin decided to make a statement at the October (1987) plenum of the CPSU Central Committee. During this speech, he essentially repeated the main points set out in his letter to Gorbachev. The reaction to the harsh speech at that time was unambiguous: party functionaries subjected him to severe criticism, the position of B.N. Yeltsin and his assessments were “politically erroneous.” The result of the discussion was a recommendation to the next plenum of the Moscow City Committee of the CPSU to consider the feasibility of B.N.’s stay. Yeltsin as First Secretary of the Moscow City Committee.

In November 1987, B.N. Yeltsin was relieved of his post as first secretary of the Moscow City Committee of the CPSU, and in February 1988 he was removed from the list of candidates for membership in the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee and appointed first deputy chairman of the USSR State Construction Committee. He worked in this position until mid-1989. “I won’t let you into politics anymore,” Gorbachev told him.

In 1988, Yeltsin spoke at the 19th Party Conference with a request for “political rehabilitation,” but again did not meet with support from the leadership of the CPSU.

Opala B.N. Yeltsin, unexpectedly for the country's leadership, led to an increase in his popularity. Yeltsin’s speech at the October Plenum was not published, but numerous versions of it circulated in samizdat, most of which had nothing in common with the original.

In 1989 B.N. Yeltsin participates in the elections of people's deputies of the USSR. He is running in Moscow and receives 91.5% of the vote. At the First Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR (May–June 1989), he became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and at the same time co-chairman of the opposition Interregional Deputy Group (MDG).

In May 1990, at a meeting of the First Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR, Yeltsin was elected Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR.

Boris Yeltsin accepts congratulations on his appointment as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR

Statement by the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin on leaving the CPSU at the XXVIII Congress of the CPSU (July 12, 1990)

Gosteleradio

Text of Boris Yeltsin's speech at a press conference on his election as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (May 30, 1990)

Archive of the Presidential Center B.N. Yeltsin

On June 12, 1990, it was he who put the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Russia to a roll-call vote at the congress. It was adopted by an overwhelming majority of votes (“for” – 907, “against” – 13, abstentions – 9).

In July 1990, at the XXVIII (last) Congress of the CPSU, Boris Yeltsin left the party.

June 12, 1991 B.N. Yeltsin was elected the first president of the RSFSR, gaining 57% of the vote (the closest rivals received: N.I. Ryzhkov - 17%, V.V. Zhirinovsky - 8%).

Inauguration of the President of the RSFSR. Boris Yeltsin takes the oath.

The oath-taking ceremony of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin and his speech at the Extraordinary V Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR

Gosteleradio

In July 1991, he signed a decree to terminate the activities of organizational structures of political parties and mass social movements in government bodies, institutions and organizations of the RSFSR.

On August 19, a coup attempt was carried out in the USSR: USSR President Gorbachev was removed from power, and the State Committee for a State of Emergency (GKChP) came to govern the country. The Russian president and his associates became the center of resistance to the State Emergency Committee. B.N. Yeltsin made an “Address to the Citizens of Russia,” where he stated, in particular, the following: “We believe that such forceful methods are unacceptable. They discredit the USSR before the whole world, undermine our prestige in the world community, and return us to the era of the Cold War and isolation of the Soviet Union. All this forces us to declare the so-called committee (GKChP) that came to power illegal. Accordingly, we declare all decisions and orders of this committee illegal.” The decisive and precise actions of the Russian leadership destroyed the plans of the putschists. Relying on the support of the people and the army, B. N. Yeltsin managed to protect the country from the consequences of a large-scale provocation that brought Russia to the brink of civil war.

August 1991 coup. Boris Yeltsin addresses the people

On August 23, 1991, at a session of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, B.N. Yeltsin signed a decree on the dissolution of the Communist Party of the RSFSR, and on November 6 of the same year he issued a decree on the termination of the activities of the structures of the CPSU and the Communist Party of the RSFSR in Russia and the nationalization of their property.

On November 15, 1991, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin headed the Russian government, which remained in history as the first government of reforms. After forming a new cabinet, he signed a package of ten presidential decrees and government orders that outlined concrete steps towards a market economy. Implementing his new powers, the president appointed Yegor Timurovich Gaidar as the first deputy prime minister responsible for developing a new economic concept for Russian reform.

On December 8, 1991, Boris Yeltsin, together with and signed the Belovezhskaya Agreement of the heads of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine on the liquidation of the USSR and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

At the end of the year, the Russian President approved a decree on price liberalization from January 2, 1992. In January 1992, the decree “On Free Trade” was also signed.

In June 1992, Yeltsin terminated his powers as Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation and assigned the duties of Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation to Yegor Gaidar. The cabinet began a decisive market reform and privatization of state property.

Photo: Alexey Sazonov / Archive of the Presidential Center B.N. Yeltsin

Moscow. Forum of reform supporters. Boris Yeltsin and Yegor Gaidar. November 29, 1992

During 1992, the confrontation between the legislative and executive powers grew, which is often called the “crisis of dual power.” Formally, it was based on contradictions in the constitutional system of Russia, but in fact, it was dissatisfaction on the part of the parliament with the reforms carried out by President Yeltsin’s team.

December 10, 1992 B.N. Yeltsin made an appeal to the citizens of Russia, in which he called the Congress of People's Deputies the main stronghold of conservatism, placing on it the main responsibility for the difficult situation in the country and accusing it of preparing a “creeping coup.” The Supreme Council, the president emphasized, wants to have all the powers and rights, but does not want to bear responsibility.

March 20, 1993 B.N. Yeltsin signed a decree calling a referendum on confidence in the President of the Russian Federation on April 25, 1993.

The All-Russian referendum took place on time. The Russians were asked the following questions:

• Do you trust Russian President Boris Yeltsin?
• Do you approve of the social policy pursued by the President of the Russian Federation and
• Government of the Russian Federation since 1992?
• Do you consider it necessary to hold early elections of the President of the Russian Federation?
• Do you consider it necessary to hold early elections of people's deputies of the Russian Federation?

Archive of the Presidential Center B.N. Yeltsin

There were 107 million citizens on the electoral rolls. 64.5% of voters took part in the referendum. The main result of the referendum was support for the course pursued by President Yeltsin. However, confrontation with parliament grew.

On September 21, 1993, the decree “On phased constitutional reform in the Russian Federation” (decree No. 1400) was promulgated, which dissolved the Supreme Council and the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation. The President scheduled elections to the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly, for December 11–12, 1993. The Federation Council was declared the upper house of the Federal Assembly.

The Supreme Council assessed the Presidential Decree as illegal and began a resistance campaign. An attempt was made to take over the Moscow City Hall and the Ostankino television center.

The country was on the brink of civil war. As a result of decisive actions by the presidential team and support from democratically minded Muscovites, the crisis was resolved. However, during the October events, more than 150 people died on both sides, most of the dead were bystanders.

The adoption of the new Constitution and the elections on December 12, 1993 significantly improved the atmosphere in society and opened up the opportunity for all branches of government to focus on constructive work.

In February 1994, the president called on the government to strengthen the social orientation of reforms. The consistent efforts of the president led to the appearance in April 1994 of an important document - the “Treaty on Social Accord”, which became a tool for consolidating power, the political elite and society in the interests of creating favorable conditions for continuing reforms.

Along with complex economic problems, problems of federal relations came to the fore. In particular, the situation around the Chechen Republic developed dramatically. The negative consequences of her stay outside the legal framework of Russia under the Dudayev regime were obvious. At the end of 1994, the Russian leadership began armed actions on the territory of Chechnya - the first Chechen war began.

The development of the special operation in Chechnya into a military campaign and the difficulties of socio-economic development affected the results of the State Duma elections in December 1995, as a result of which the Communist Party of the Russian Federation doubled its representation. There was a real threat of communist revenge. In this situation, the presidential elections scheduled for June 1996, in which eight candidates applied to participate, assumed great importance. Surrounded by B.N. Yeltsin turned out to have people who persuaded him in this situation to postpone the elections. However, this plan was not supported by the president. The difficult election campaign of 1996 began.

The President carried out a decisive reorganization of the Cabinet of Ministers, which in January 1996 began to develop a new program of change.

In January - April 1996, the president signed a series of decrees aimed at timely payment of salaries to public sector employees, compensation payments to pensioners, and increased scholarships for students and graduate students. Energetic steps were taken to resolve the Chechen problem (from the development of a plan for a peaceful settlement to a scheme for the liquidation of Dudayev and the cessation of military operations). The signing of agreements between Russia and Belarus, as well as between Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, demonstrated the seriousness of integration intentions in the post-Soviet space.

The President made 52 trips to various regions of the Russian Federation, including to intensify the conclusion of bilateral agreements between the federal center and the constituent entities of the federation.

The first round of elections did not bring victory to the president: his main opponent, leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation G.A., entered the second round along with him. Zyuganov. And only based on the results of the second round. Which took place on July 3, 1996 B.N. Yeltsin won with 53.8% of the vote (the Communist Party candidate received 40.3%).

Text of the speech upon taking office as President of the Russian Federation; text of the oath of the President of the Russian Federation; covering note from L.Pikhoy

Archive of the Presidential Center B.N. Yeltsin

The Presidential Marathon - 96 had a great impact on the socio-economic and political situation in Russia. The election victory made it possible to relieve social tensions and continue moving towards a market economy. The strengthening of the democratic foundations of the constitutional system was continued, the foundations of the legislative framework of the market economy were laid, and labor markets, goods, currency, and securities began to function. However, the situation in Chechnya remained difficult, where hostilities began again after the presidential elections. In this regard, the President authorized negotiations on August 22 and 30, 1996 in Khasavyurt, which ended with the signing of important documents. According to the agreements, the parties ceased hostilities, federal troops were withdrawn from Chechnya, and the decision on the status of Chechnya was postponed until 2001.

However, the nervous overload experienced by B.N. Yeltsin's recent years have had a negative impact on his health. Doctors insisted on coronary artery bypass surgery - open heart surgery. Despite persuasion, B.N. Yeltsin decided to have the operation in Russia. The operating surgeon was Renat Akchurin, who was advised by American cardiac surgeon Michael DeBakey. Yeltsin announced the upcoming operation on federal television and for the duration of it transferred power to Prime Minister V.S. Chernomyrdin. The operation was successful and after a short rehabilitation the president returned to work.

Boris Yeltsin was the first President of Russia. He was a strong leader, although he made many tactical blunders in his position. For eight years this man led a huge country and tried to lead it out of the crisis.

Job in Moscow

In 1968, Boris Yeltsin began his party career. A graduate of the Ural Polytechnic named after Kirov became the head of the construction department. Success in political service provided him with a quick breakthrough in his career. In 1984, Boris Nikolaevich was already a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. From 1985-1987 served as First Secretary of the Moscow City Committee of the CPSU.

In 1987, at the plenum of the Supreme Council, he criticized the activities of the current leader Mikhail Gorbachev. He was demoted to the position of deputy head of Gosstroy. In 1989, Yeltsin became a people's deputy of the USSR Supreme Council.

In 1990, he became Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR.

1991 presidential election

On March 17, 1991, a referendum was held in the USSR. On the agenda were the issue of introducing the post of president and the item on maintaining the status of the USSR. Purposeful and uncompromising Boris Yeltsin decided to run as a candidate for the presidency. His competitors in this race were pro-government candidate Nikolai Ryzhkov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

On June 12, 1991, the first presidential elections were held. B. N. Yeltsin was elected by a majority of votes. The reign of the first leader of Russia was originally supposed to be 5 years. Since the country was in a deep political and economic crisis, no one knew how long in real life the new president would last in office. A. Rutskoy was elected vice-president. He and Yeltsin were supported by the Democratic Russia bloc.

On July 10, 1991, Boris Yeltsin took an oath to serve his people faithfully. Mikhail Gorbachev remained the President of the USSR. Dual power did not suit the ambitious Yeltsin, although many researchers and politicians argue that the final goal of the new Russian leader was the collapse of the Union. Perhaps it was a political order that he carried out brilliantly.

August putsch

The years of Boris Yeltsin's reign were marked by significant unrest at the top of the state. Members of the CPSU did not want a change in leadership and understood that with the arrival of a new leader, the collapse of the USSR and their removal from power was not far off. Yeltsin harshly criticized the nomenklatura circles and repeatedly accused senior leaders of corruption.

Gorbachev and President Yeltsin, whose reign had been unstable, discussed the cornerstones of their cooperation and decided to eliminate the USSR politically. For this purpose, it was decided to create a confederation - the Union of Sovereign Soviet Republics. On August 20, this document was to be signed by the leaders of all union republics.

The State Emergency Committee launched active activities on August 18-21, 1991. During Gorbachev’s stay in Crimea, a temporary state body, the State Emergency Committee, was created, and a state of emergency was introduced in the country. The population was informed about this on the radio. The Democratic forces led by Yeltsin and Rutsky began to confront the old party elite.

The conspirators had some support in the army and the KGB. They pulled up some separate groups of troops to bring them into the capital. Meanwhile, President of the RSFSR Yeltsin was on a business trip. Opponents of the collapse of the Union decided to detain him upon arrival as far as possible from the White House. Other putschists decided to go to Gorbachev, convince him to introduce a state of emergency by his decree and appeal to the people.

On August 19, the media announced the resignation of M. Gorbachev for health reasons, acting. O. Gennady Yanaev was appointed president.

Yeltsin and his supporters were supported by the opposition radio Ekho Moskvy. The Alpha detachment arrived at the president's dacha, but there was no order to block him or take him into custody, so Boris Nikolaevich was able to mobilize all his supporters.

Yeltsin arrives at the White House, and local rallies begin in Moscow. Ordinary democratically minded citizens are trying to resist the State Emergency Committee. The protesters built barricades in the square and dismantled paving stones. Tanks without ammunition and 10 infantry fighting vehicles were driven to the square.

On the 21st, mass clashes began, three citizens died. The conspirators were arrested, and Boris Yeltsin, whose years of rule were tense from the very beginning, dissolved the CPSU and nationalized the party's property. The putschist plan failed.

As a result, in December 1991, secretly from M. Gorbachev, the Bialowieza Agreements were signed, which put an end to the USSR and gave rise to new independent republics.

1993 crisis

In September 1993, former comrades quarreled. B. N. Yeltsin, whose years of rule were very difficult in the initial period, understood that the opposition in the person of Vice-President A. Rutsky and the Supreme Council of the RSFSR was doing its best to slow down new economic reforms. In this regard, B. Yeltsin issued decree 1400 - on the dissolution of the Armed Forces. A decision was made to hold new elections to the Federal Assembly.

Naturally, such a monopolization of power caused protest among members of the Supreme Council. As usual, equipment was brought to the capital and people were brought out into the streets. Several attempts were made to impeach the president, but Yeltsin ignored the legislation. Supporters of the Armed Forces were dispersed, opposition leaders were arrested. As a result of the clashes, according to various sources, about 200 people were killed and more than a thousand were injured.

After the victory of Boris Yeltsin and his supporters in Russia there was a transitional period of presidential dictatorship. All government bodies connecting Russia with the USSR were liquidated.

Socio-economic reforms of B. Yeltsin

Many economists and politicians, looking back at the years of Yeltsin's rule in Russia, call his policies chaotic and stupid. There was no single clear plan. For the first few years, the state was generally in a political crisis, which eventually resulted in the 1993 coup.

Many of the ideas of the president and his supporters were promising, but in implementing them according to the old monopolized system, Yeltsin ran into many pitfalls. As a result, the reform of the state led to a protracted crisis in the economic sphere, loss of deposits from the population and complete distrust of the authorities.

The main reforms of President Yeltsin:

• price liberalization, free market;
• land reform - transfer of land into private hands;
• privatization;
• reforming political power.

First Chechen War

In 1991, the independent Republic of Ichkeria was formed on the territory of Chechnya. This state of affairs did not suit Russia. Dzhokhar Dudayev became the president of the new independent republic. The Russian Supreme Court declared the elections invalid. The victory of the separatist forces led to the collapse of the Chechen-Ingush Republic. Ingushetia decided to remain autonomous within Russia. Based on this desire, Boris Yeltsin, whose years of rule had already been washed by rivers of blood, decided to send troops during the Ossetian-Ingush conflict of 1992. Chechnya was actually an independent state, not recognized by anyone. There was actually a civil war going on in the country. In 1994, Yeltsin decided to send troops to restore order in the Chechen People's Republic. As a result, the armed conflict with the use of Russian troops lasted two years.

Second presidential term

The second presidential term was extremely difficult for Boris Yeltsin. Firstly, constant heart problems were taking their toll, and secondly, the country was on the verge of a crisis, which the “sick” president did not have the strength to cope with. The newly elected president placed his bet on “political youth” in the person of Chubais and Nemtsov. Their active implementation of the reform course did not lead to the expected increase in GDP; the country lived off multibillion-dollar loans. In 1998, Yeltsin, whose years of rule were not successful for the state, began to look for a successor. This was the unknown head of the FSB, V. Putin.

Resignation

In 1998, B. Yeltsin’s “sand” economy collapsed. Default, price increases, job cuts, total instability, shutdown of large enterprises. The virtual market economy could not withstand the harsh realities. Having chosen a worthy candidate for his post and having secured V. Putin’s commitment to a comfortable old age, the first President of Russia, speaking in front of television viewers, resigned.

Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin is a Soviet and Russian politician, the first president of the Russian Federation (1992-1999), who managed to stop the collapse of the country's economy at a time of crisis. He is remembered for his achievements in the industrial sector, and was successful in communication with Western countries and former Soviet republics.

Childhood

Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin was born in a small village in the Ural region on February 1, 1931. His family was originally rural: his paternal grandfather was considered a kulak (a wealthy peasant) and was exiled at one time to Nadezhdinsk. Nikolai Yeltsin was no longer able to inherit his family’s lands and made a living from construction, and Boris’s mother, Klavdia Vasilievna, was a dressmaker.

3 years after the birth of the boy, trouble came to the Yeltsin family - the arrest of his father. He and four other builders were accused of anti-Soviet agitation and sent to serve a labor sentence for 3 years. The prisoner's wife and little son were kicked out of the barracks in which they lived. They found shelter in the house of a doctor from Kazan, Vasily Petrovich Petrov, who was serving his sentence with Nikolai Yeltsin. The doctor's wife provided them with housing.

In 1936, Nikolai was released early, he returned to his wife, and a year later another son appeared in the family. In 1937, the Yeltsins returned to the Urals to the city of Berezniki, where their father built a good career. Here Boris went to school, was a headman and an activist. In the 7th grade, he had a conflict with his teacher, for which the guy was kicked out of school with a bad recommendation. The future president addressed the city party committee, where he spoke about physical and labor punishment from this teacher; Later he was able to continue his studies at another institution and receive a certificate.

student life

Immediately after graduating from school in 1949, Boris entered the Ural Polytechnic Institute named after S. M. Kirov. The Faculty of Civil Engineering was not chosen in vain - the guy was following in the footsteps of his father. In 1955, Yeltsin graduated with a qualification as a civil engineer with a specialty in Industrial and Civil Construction.

During his studies, the guy became seriously interested in volleyball: he played in the Yekaterinburg national team and even became a master of sports of the USSR. In 1952, he was the coach of the women's volleyball team of the Molotov region.

Carier start

According to his assignment after university, he ends up in the construction company “Uraltyazhtrubstroy”, where he already masters in practice the professions of a carpenter, painter, concrete worker, carpenter, bricklayer, glazier, plasterer and machinist. As Boris himself recalls, this path was chosen deliberately: despite the fact that specialists with a diploma could occupy leadership positions, the guy wanted to go through all the steps on his own.

The zeal of yesterday's student could not go unnoticed, and in two years he rose to the rank of foreman in the construction department. By the mid-1960s, Yeltsin headed the Sverdlovsk house-building plant.

During the same period he began his political career. He becomes a member of the CPSU in 1961. After two years of political activity, he becomes a recognized member of the party: he goes to city, district, and then regional conferences of the CPSU as an elected delegate. The efforts of the young party member do not go unnoticed: in 1968, Boris Yeltsin was transferred to party work in the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU, where his political career developed by leaps and bounds.

Rise of political power

As head of the construction department, Yeltsin did a lot for the region: agriculture was gaining momentum, new housing complexes and industrial buildings were being built. In 1975 he became responsible for the industrial development of the region, and in 1976 he was made the de facto leader of the Sverdlovsk region.

He held the post of first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU for almost 10 years - until 1985. The most high-profile achievements of the future president include the construction of the Yekaterinburg-Serov highway, a new 20-story building of the regional committee of the CPSU, and achieved the decision to build a metro in Sverdlovsk.

It was Boris Nikolaevich who initiated the creation of experimental villages in the villages of Baltym and Patrushi in order to improve agriculture and improve the quality of life of workers. The Baltym cultural and sports complex designed by Yeltsin became a source of pride for the entire region - the building in the style of Soviet futurism had no analogues in the construction practice of the USSR.

Despite the fact that Boris Nikolaevich never served in the army due to the absence of two fingers on his hand (childhood injury), while at party work he received the military rank of reserve colonel.

Over the next few years, Yeltsin’s influence and power in politics grew: until 1989 he was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (member of the Council of the Union), until 1988 - a member of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council, a member of the CPSU Central Committee until 1990. In the late 80s and early 90s, he was also remembered for his impudent statements about the current government and criticism of Gorbachev, for which he was removed from a number of official duties.

A negative attitude towards the leader of the USSR was already growing in society, and against this background, the young and lively Boris Nikolaevich had a winning position. Yeltsin's successes and influence were noticed and appreciated. During the collapse of the Union, he and his comrades were able to achieve authority, assume power and prevent a real war from breaking out.

Presidency: first term

Events on the eve of Yeltsin's inauguration unfolded rapidly. On August 19, 1991, First Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev was removed, and power was seized by the so-called GKChP (State Committee for the State of Emergency). The events known today as the "August Putsch" were nothing more than an attempted coup d'état that developed into a full-scale civil war.

Yeltsin's role in this period of time was enormous. With his comrades-in-arms, he became opposed to the illegally acting body and ultimately destroyed the political power of the State Emergency Committee. It was Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin, who became the first president in Russian history, who signed the Belovezhskaya Agreement on the liquidation of the USSR. Thus, the impending internal war for the independence of the countries that were once part of the union was prevented.

In his post, Yeltsin did a lot of useful things to restore the economy and moral improvement of the society of the new country. He adopted the Constitution, established relations with the countries of the former union, and entered into dialogue with the leaders of Western countries.

The first president also had outright failures in the conduct of domestic policy. In particular, he failed to stop the armed conflict in Chechnya, which resulted in a multi-year war.

And in order to add to Russia’s image in the international arena, he announced the disarmament of the country in the direction of US cities and approved the deployment of NATO bases in countries neighboring the CIS. For this, critics and historians accuse him of suppressing the military power of the Russian Federation.

Participation in the 1996 elections as a presidential candidate was impulsive and motivated only by a reluctance to allow communists to power. The political program with the slogan “Vote or Lose” was very successful. He visited a large number of cities, appeared on stage with pop stars, and participated in live discussions with young people and students. In a short period of time, Yeltsin’s rating rose from 3-6% to 35%, but the heavy workload during the campaign period affected his health - he suffered a heart attack.

Second term

After the victory, the current president focused on stabilizing the economy and improving the social sphere. The government built a program to eliminate wage arrears and unsuccessfully fought bribery and arbitrariness in the ranks of officials. The reforms also affected the sphere of small/medium businesses: uniform rules were introduced for bankers and entrepreneurs, and a system of benefits was launched for private entrepreneurs who want to develop their own business in difficult crisis conditions.

However, Boris Nikolayevich himself no longer tolerates the heavy government burden, his nerves were fraying, and this ultimately had a negative effect on his heart. Yeltsin underwent bypass surgery. In 1998, a global crisis came, which acutely affected the country: all the mistakes and miscalculations in the economy of the current leader came to the surface. The result was inflation of the national currency, default and collapse in the banking industry.

Boris Yeltsin made his resignation from the presidency symbolic: he remained in power until the last day of the 20th century, and with the advent of the new century, on the air of New Year's greetings on December 31, 1999, he announced his resignation. The reason for this decision was a combination of factors: serious health problems, a crisis in the country and the world, pressure and criticism. Since at the time of Yeltsin’s resignation 67% of citizens had a negative attitude towards him, the president asked for forgiveness from his fellow citizens.

Personal life

Boris Yeltsin's personal life was successful: he met his future wife while still studying at the Polytechnic Institute. Naina (Anastasia) Girina worked as a project manager at the Vodokanal Institute. He married Naina immediately after graduating from university in 1956.

In 1957 and 1960 they had daughters: Elena and Tatyana, respectively. Later, the daughters gave the president five grandchildren.

Boris Nikolaevich remained faithful to his wife until the end of his life. In many publications about his biography, Yeltsin paid tribute to his wife, each time emphasizing her support. Some journalists believe that the wife of the first president of Russia influenced her husband’s political activities, in particular in personnel policy.

Death

Towards the end of his life, the first president of Russia suffered greatly from a disease of the cardiovascular system. It is no secret that he was diagnosed with alcoholism - nervous tension as the leader of the country and constant criticism from ill-wishers affected him.

In mid-April 2007, Boris Nikolaevich was admitted to the hospital due to complications from a viral infection. According to doctors, his life was not in danger, the disease progressed predictably. However, 12 days after hospitalization, Boris Yeltsin died in the Central Clinical Hospital. Death occurred on April 23, 2007, at the age of 76.

“Cardiac arrest as a result of dysfunction of internal organs” was the wording indicated in the cause of death. The funeral of the first president of Russia took place with full military honors at the Novodevichy cemetery, the process was broadcast live on all state television channels. At the grave of Boris Yeltsin there is a tombstone in the form of a boulder painted in the colors of the national flag.

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Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin is a statesman who went down in history as the first president of Russia, as well as a radical reformer of the country.

Boris Nikolaevich was born on February 1, 1931, and his zodiac sign is Aquarius. He comes from a simple working-class family and is Russian by nationality. His father Nikolai Ignatievich was engaged in construction, and his mother Klavdiya Vasilievna was a dressmaker. Since soon after the birth of Boris his father was repressed, the boy lived with his mother and brother Mikhail in the city of Berezniki, Perm region.

At school, the future President Yeltsin studied well, was a headman and a class activist. In the seventh grade, the teenager was not afraid to go against the class teacher, who raised her hand against the students and forced them to work off bad grades in her garden. Because of this, Boris was expelled from school with a very poor record, but the guy turned to the city committee of the Komsomol and achieved justice. After receiving his matriculation certificate, Boris Yeltsin becomes a student at the Ural Polytechnic Institute, where he graduated from the Faculty of Construction.

Due to a childhood injury, Boris Nikolaevich was missing two fingers on his hand, so he was not drafted into the army. But this drawback did not prevent Boris from playing volleyball in his youth, passing the standards for the title “Master of Sports” and playing for the Yekaterinburg national team. After graduation, Yeltsin joined the Uraltyazhtrubstroy trust. Although his education allowed him to immediately take a leadership position, he preferred to first master working professions and alternately worked as a carpenter, painter, concrete worker, carpenter, bricklayer, glazier, plasterer and crane operator.

In two years, the young specialist rose to the rank of foreman of the construction department, and by the mid-60s he had already headed the Sverdlovsk house-building plant. In those same years, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin began moving up the party ladder. First, he becomes a delegate to the city conference of the Communist Party, then the first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU, and by the beginning of the 80s - a member of the Central Committee of the party.

Career

The successes of Boris Yeltsin as secretary of the regional committee were noted by both the leadership and residents. Under his supervision, a highway was built between Yekaterinburg and Serov, agriculture developed, as well as the construction of residential buildings and industrial complexes. After moving to Moscow, Boris Nikolaevich solves construction issues at the all-Union level. His energy and active style of work increased the popularity of the statesman in the eyes of Muscovites. But the party elite treated Yeltsin with prejudice and even to some extent hindered his endeavors.

Tired of constant confrontation, Boris Yeltsin spoke at the 1987 party plenum and criticized a number of officials who, in his opinion, were slowing down perestroika. The government's reaction was clearly negative, which led to the resignation of the politician who dared to openly express his opinion and his transfer to the position of deputy chairman of the USSR State Construction Committee. Gorbachev publicly stated that Yeltsin would no longer be in politics. But the country's leadership did not take into account that Boris Nikolayevich's disgrace would lead to a phenomenal increase in his authority among the people. When Boris Yeltsin ran for deputy in the Moscow district in 1989, he received over 90% of the vote. Later, the politician would become Chairman of the Supreme Council and the first President of the RSFSR.

President of Russia

When an attempted coup took place in the USSR on August 19, 1991, known today as the “August putsch,” Mikhail Gorbachev was removed, and the State Committee for the State of Emergency took power into its own hands. Boris Yeltsin stood at the head of those opposing those who illegally seized the reins of power, took decisive and precise actions and destroyed the plans of the State Emergency Committee. No matter how fellow citizens viewed Yeltsin’s future activities, it was he who managed to save the country from a possible civil war. As a result, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin headed the first Russian government in history and in this capacity signed the Belovezhskaya Agreement on the liquidation of the USSR.

The first years of his reign were difficult for Russia. The possibility of civil war arose again, it was necessary to resort to the publication of the “Treaty on Social Harmony,” and the adoption of the new Constitution improved the situation in society. The main disadvantage of the first president of Russia is considered to be the allowance of military action in Chechnya, which led to a long-term war. He tried to stop the war, but in the end this issue was resolved only in 2001. In this situation, the leader reorganized the Cabinet of Ministers and signed a series of decrees aimed at reforms in the economy.

In foreign policy, it was important for Boris Yeltsin to improve relations with Western countries, as well as build a dialogue with the former socialist republics. Therefore, the President of the Russian Federation approved the deployment of NATO bases in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, without considering this a threat to Russia. He also announced the disarmament of Russia in the direction of the cities of the United States. They had friendly relations with him. Many funny moments, which were recorded on video and photos, happened to Yeltsin during meetings with the US President. This is the case with an inaccurate translation of Boris Nikolaevich’s words, and joint leisure activities.

Boris Yeltsin had a bright, powerful and sometimes unpredictable character. The President of the Russian Federation felt free in public, sometimes shocking those present. Often such actions were provoked by drunkenness, to which Yeltsin was prone. But meetings with fellow citizens, at which Boris Nikolayevich danced or joked, had an effect on the electorate and especially on young people no worse than any PR campaign.

This happened in the 1996 presidential elections. Boris Yeltsin did not plan to participate in them, but he could not allow the Communist Party to win. An election program was launched with the slogan “Vote or lose,” during which Yeltsin visited many Russian cities. Together with him, show business figures participated in the campaign: , groups, and others. The PR campaign was based on the principles of Bill Clinton’s “Choose or Lose” election program.

In a short period of time, Yeltsin's rating rose from 3-6% to 35% who voted for him in the first round. Due to the heavy workload after the first stage of voting, Boris Yeltsin suffered a heart attack. Boris Nikolaevich's health did not allow him to vote at his place of residence in Moscow. He cast his vote in the second round at a sanatorium in Barvikha.

In the 1996 elections, the incumbent president defeated his main competitor. After the inauguration, to which foreign delegations were not invited, and the video was partially edited from filming from previous years, a conspiracy theory about the death of Boris Yeltsin and his replacement with a double appeared in society. Publicist Yuri Mukhin claimed that the politician died after a heart attack, which was Yeltsin’s fifth. A book on this topic, “The Yeltsin Code,” was published. In 1998, deputy A.I. Saliy proposed creating a commission in the State Duma to investigate this case, and he also provided the Prosecutor General’s Office with several evidence of “... the forcible retention of power” (Article 278 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) by Yeltsin’s entourage. But these theories were not confirmed in life.

After the elections, the president focused on stabilizing the economy and social sphere. For this purpose, the “Seven Main Things” program was launched, during which the government tried to eliminate huge salary arrears, corruption and arbitrariness of officials, introduce uniform rules for bankers and entrepreneurs, and activate small businesses. The resignation of the government, which was replaced by a young and energetic one, should be considered as one of the stages of development. After him, the post of prime minister was held by Vladimir Putin.

Boris Yeltsin himself was negatively affected by the heavy government burden, and he had to undergo heart bypass surgery. The 1998 global financial crisis, which became an even greater disaster for Russia than for the world community, did not improve the president’s mood, as huge mistakes and miscalculations in the economy came to the surface. The result is multiple devaluation of the ruble, default and banking collapse. On the other hand, it was during this period that the dominance of foreign goods on the market was replaced by domestic production, which always benefits the country’s treasury.

New Year's address by Boris Yeltsin December 31, 1999

Boris Yeltsin remained at the helm of Russia until the last day of the 20th century, and during a televised New Year's greeting on December 31, 1999, he announced his resignation. Boris Yeltsin asked for forgiveness from his fellow citizens and said that he was leaving due to “the totality of all problems,” and not just because of his health. Famous Quote "I'm tired, I'm leaving", attributed to Boris Nikolaevich, does not correspond to reality.

At the time of Yeltsin’s resignation, 67% of citizens had a negative attitude towards him; the president was accused of ruining Russia and promoting liberals to power. Yeltsin was supported by 15% at that time. But researchers and politicians assess the years of the leader’s reign positively, noting the main achievement of this era - freedom of speech and the building of a civil society.

After Boris Yeltsin resigned as president, he continued to participate in the country's public life. In 2000, he created a charitable foundation and periodically visited the CIS countries. In 2004, former head of presidential security Alexander Korzhakov published a book of memoirs, “Boris Yeltsin: From Dawn to Dusk,” where he presented interesting facts from the biography of the head of state.

Personal life

Boris Yeltsin's personal life changed when he was still studying at the Polytechnic Institute. In those years, he met, whom he married immediately after graduating from university. At birth, the girl received the name Anastasia, but at an already conscious age she changed it to Naina, since that is what she was called in the family. Boris Yeltsin's wife worked as a project manager at the Vodokanal Institute.

The wedding of the Yeltsin couple took place in the house of a collective farmer in Upper Iset in 1956, and a year later the family was replenished with a daughter, Elena. Three years later, Boris and Naina became parents again, and they also had a youngest daughter, Tatyana. Later, the daughters gave the president six grandchildren. The most popular of them was Boris Yeltsin Jr., who at one time was the marketing director of the Russian Formula 1 team. And his brother Gleb, born with Down syndrome, became the European champion in swimming among people with disabilities in 2015.

In many publications, Boris Nikolaevich paid tribute to his wife, each time emphasizing her care and support. But some journalists, including Mikhail Poltoranin, argued that Naina Yeltsin not only provided moral support for the first president of Russia, but also influenced personnel policy in the country’s leadership.

Death

Recently, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin suffered from a disease of the cardiovascular system. It is also no secret that he was diagnosed with alcoholism. In mid-April 2007, the former president was admitted to the hospital due to complications from a viral infection. According to doctors, his life was not in danger, the disease progressed predictably. However, 12 days after hospitalization, Boris Yeltsin died in the Central Clinical Hospital. Death occurred on April 23, 2007.

The official cause of death was cardiac arrest as a result of dysfunction of internal organs. Yeltsin was buried with military honors at the Novodevichy cemetery, and the funeral process was broadcast live on all state television channels. A tombstone was erected at the grave of Boris Yeltsin. It is made in the form of a boulder, painted in the colors of the national flag.

To mark the anniversary of the birth of Boris Yeltsin in 2011, documentaries “Boris Yeltsin. Life and Fate" and "Boris Yeltsin. First,” in which, in addition to the memoirs of the president’s contemporaries, rare footage of interviews with Yeltsin himself was presented.

Memory

• 2008 – the main street of the business center of Yekaterinburg City, January 9 Street in Yekaterinburg was renamed Boris Yeltsin Street
• 2008 – a solemn opening ceremony of the monument to Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin took place at the Novodevichy Cemetery
• 2008 – Ural State Technical University (UPI) was named after Boris Yeltsin
• 2009 – The Presidential Library named after B. N. Yeltsin was opened in St. Petersburg
• 2011 – a monument was unveiled in Yekaterinburg on the occasion of Boris Yeltsin’s 80th birthday
• 2015 – Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center opened in Yekaterinburg

Quotes

• Take as much sovereignty as you can swallow. I don’t want to be a brake on the development of national self-awareness in each republic.
• I threw a coin into the Yenisei for luck. But do not think that this is the end of the financial support of your region from the president.
• The Black Sea Fleet was, is and will be Russian.

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

In 2003, a monument to Yeltsin was unveiled 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, a monument to him was unveiled on the street named after 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 the tombstone for Yeltsin.

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

Since 2003, the Sverdlovsk region has annually hosted 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 in Kazan, the Tennis Academy hosted the first International Tennis Tournament of the ITF series “Yeltsin Cup” for boys and girls under 18 years old under the patronage of the Boris Yeltsin Foundation.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources