Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Boris Yeltsin Remembered

Boris Yeltsin, the first president of the Russian Federation, passed away on April 23, 2007. He was hospitalized with a URTI after a vacation to Israel, developed a CHF exacerbation and reportedly had 2 cardiac arrests, the second one of which proved fatal.

Boris Yeltsin was a controversial figure of enormous historical importance. There are many videos on YouTube which show Yeltsin at his best and "worst", often laugh-provoking, moments. A limited selection can be seen below.


Boris Yeltsin and Bill Clinton share a laugh in 1995. A brief explanation is needed to understand to joke: Yeltsin ridiculed the news media for stressing that U.S.-Russian differences were so significant that meeting would be a disaster. Yeltsin says to the reporters: "you were writing that today's meeting with President Bill Clinton was going to be a disaster. Now for the first time I can tell you -- you're a disaster."


A Tribute To Boris Yeltsin, 1931-2007

More videos on EnglishRussia.

References:
Clinton, Yeltsin narrow their differences on Bosnia. CNN, 1995.

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