February 22, 2000

Yeltsin's Surprise Resignation


Yeltsin's Surprise Resignation

 

 

 

"Today, on the last day of the outgoing century, I resign."

Boris Yeltsin

 

Dateline: 12/31/99

Russian president Boris Yeltsin announced, on television, Friday, his resignation as president of the Russian Federation; effective immediately. Acting president is Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Presidential elections must be held in 90 days. Originally, the presidential election would have been held in June, 2000.

This shocking announcement took Russia and the world by surprise on this, the eve of the new millennium. With the recent Duma elections (Dec. 19th) still fresh, this event is certain to throw Russia into another chapter of political turmoil. Parties will, once again, be jockeying for votes.

It would appear that Yeltsin had waited for this Duma election and the resulting shift of power within the lower house of the Russian parliament from the Communists to the combined pro-Kremlin, centrist parties, to announce his resignation. In his television announcement, Yeltsin officially appointed PM Putin as acting President. Putin is Yeltsin's choice as successor to the presidency and is endorsed by the centrist parties. Putin has been Prime Minister since Yeltsin fired his government, for the third time in two years, on August 10, 1999.

Boris Yeltsin, age 68, has been president throughout the turbulent times of Russia's transition from that of a Communist nation to a democracy. He has seen good times and, most recently, times of extreme political and economic crisis. In his nation wide televised announcement, Yeltsin apologized to the Russian people for not meeting their hopes and expectations. This was a somber and sad announcement as Yeltsin left his country in new and younger hands as it enters the 21st century, later today.

According to the Russian Constitution, in the event of a presidential resignation, elections must be held within 90 days to elect a replacement (Section I, Chapter IV, Article 92, para 2) This presidential election has been set for March 26, 2000.

I want to beg forgiveness for your dreams that never came true. And also I would like to beg forgiveness not to have justified your hopes . . . I beg your forgiveness for having failed to jump in one leap from the gray, stagnant, totalitarian past to the clear, rich and civilized future.

~ President Boris Yeltsin; 30 December 1999, Moscow

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955