Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin Biography and Timeline — Page 2

Entry into Supreme Soviet

Enters the USSR Supreme Soviet and uses the legislature as a platform for opposition politics.

Interregional Deputies Group Leadership

Becomes a leading figure in the opposition Interregional Deputies Group in the Congress of People's Deputies.

Role range: 1917-1991 – 1985-1991

Co-Chair of Interregional Deputies Group

Becomes a co-chair of the Interregional Deputies Group, the first organized parliamentary opposition in the late Soviet period.

Election to Russian Congress

Wins election to the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian SFSR.

Takes Leadership of Russian Parliament

Assumes leadership of the Russian Supreme Soviet after a closely contested parliamentary ballot.

Role range: 1990-1991

Chairman of Russian Supreme Soviet

Is elected Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR on the third ballot.

Role range: 1917-1991 – 1990-1991

Sovereignty Vote Put to Congress

Places the Declaration of State Sovereignty before the Russian Congress, which adopts it by an overwhelming majority.

Role range: 1990-1991

Russian Sovereignty Declaration

Leads the Russian Congress as it adopts the Declaration of State Sovereignty, asserting the supremacy of Russian law.

Role range: 1917-1991 – 1990-1991

Leaves the Communist Party

Announces his resignation from the Communist Party at the Twenty-Eighth Party Congress.

Role range: 1917-1991

Break with the Communist Party

Walks out of the Twenty-Eighth CPSU Congress after announcing his resignation from the Communist Party.

Russian Constitutional Commission

Serves on the constitutional commission created by the Russian Congress of People's Deputies.

Role range: 1917-1991 – 1989-1991

Publishes Against the Grain

Publishes an autobiographical account of his break with the Soviet party establishment and rise as a reform politician.

Pro-Yeltsin Moscow Demonstration

Tens of thousands demonstrate in Moscow in support of Yeltsin despite restrictions on public rallies.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

First Direct Russian Presidential Election

Wins Russia's first direct presidential election with about fifty-seven percent of the vote.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

White House Meeting with George H. W. Bush

Meets President George H. W. Bush at the White House after his election as Russian president.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Executive Presidency Begins

Begins exercising the new executive powers of the Russian presidency after taking the oath of office.

Role range: 1991-1999

First Russian Presidential Inauguration

Takes the presidential oath as the first elected president of the Russian Federation.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Ban on Party Activity in State Institutions

Signs a decree prohibiting political party organizations from operating inside Russian state institutions and enterprises.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Resistance to August Coup

Emerges as the principal public leader of resistance to the State Committee for the State of Emergency.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Russian White House Resistance Headquarters

Uses the Russian White House as the political headquarters for organized resistance to the emergency committee.

Role range: 1991-1999

Appeal for Resistance to GKChP

Declares the emergency committee unconstitutional and calls for a general strike and civil resistance.

Role range: 1991-1999

White House Armoured Vehicle Address

Addresses crowds from an armoured vehicle outside the Russian White House during resistance to the August coup.

Role range: 1991-1999

August Coup Collapse

The hard-line coup collapses as military support shifts and resistance centered on the Russian White House succeeds.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Russian Control over Union Institutions Expands

Moves to bring key Soviet-era institutions and property inside Russia under Russian state control after the coup fails.

Role range: 1991-1999

CPSU Structures Banned in Russia

Signs a decree ending CPSU and Russian Communist Party organizational activity in Russia.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Market Reform Decree Package

Signs a package of presidential decrees and government orders intended to move Russia toward a market economy.

Role range: 1991-1999

Heads Russian Reform Government

Assumes leadership of the Russian government while launching the first post-Soviet market reform programme.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1992

Russian Support for Soviet Budget

Russia agrees to provide emergency financial support to the Soviet central government during its final budget crisis.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Gaidar Appointed Economic Reform Deputy

Appoints Yegor Gaidar first deputy prime minister with responsibility for designing rapid market reforms.

Role range: 1991-1999

Belovezha Agreement

Signs the Belovezha Agreement with the leaders of Ukraine and Belarus, declaring the Soviet Union ended and creating the CIS.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Russian Legislature Approves CIS

The Russian legislature ratifies the Belovezha agreement establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Agreement on Soviet Dissolution

Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev discuss the transfer of powers as the Soviet Union approaches dissolution.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Alma-Ata CIS Expansion

Joins leaders of former Soviet republics at Alma-Ata as the Commonwealth of Independent States expands.

Role range: 1991-1999

US Recognition of Russia Discussed

Speaks by telephone with George H. W. Bush as the United States prepares formal recognition of Russia.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Russia Assumes Soviet UN Seat

Russia assumes the Soviet Union's United Nations membership and Security Council seat.

Role range: 1991-1999

Russian Control of Strategic Nuclear Forces

Assumes Russia's central responsibility for the former Soviet strategic nuclear arsenal after Gorbachev leaves office.

Role range: 1991-1999

Land Privatization Decree

Signs measures allowing expanded private ownership and transfer of land as part of market reforms.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999

Price Liberalization Decree Signed

Approves the decree that will free most retail prices from state control in January 1992.

Role range: 1991-1999

Campaign for Direct Presidential Election

Campaigns for the newly created Russian presidency in the first direct election for the office.

Role range: 1990-1991

Price Liberalization Begins

Price controls are largely lifted as Yeltsin's government begins rapid market liberalization.

Role range: 1991- – 1991-1999