Topic: Yeltsin hands over Russian rule to Yevgeny Primakov

Katrina Jones


Boris Yeltsin		Yevgeny Primakov

Summary

The recent frequency of Russian President Boris Yeltsin's illnesses, have caused a great deal of strain to the Russian government and instilled a sense of worry in the Russian people. His illness comes at an especially inopportune moment as Russia faces and economic crisis amongst other governmental issues. Power has gradually ebbed away from Yeltsin toward Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov in the last two months. Some commentators welcome the shift, saying Primakov now provides more stability than Yeltsin.

Vocabulary

Kremlin-the Russian government
Duma-a Representative Council in Russia (parliament)

Time Line

03/17/98 Officials announce the cancellation of a summit between the presidents of former Soviet Republics due to Yeltsin's respiratory infection.

09/11/98 Foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov is elected as as prime minister.

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10/13/98 Yeltsin cuts a trip to Central Asia short due to respiratory infection.

10/26/98 Yeltsin calls off a trip to a summit between Russian and the European Union due to his illness. Primakov attends the summit in his place.

10/27/98 Yeltsin enters the Barvikha sanitarium--a rest home outside Moscow--to recover from what was said to to high blood pressure and exhaustion.

11/23/98 Yeltsin enters the hospital with pneumonia. Yeltsin's spokesman says the President is not too ill to fulfill his duties.

12/07/98 Yeltsin leaves the hospital where he is recovering from pneumonia to travel to the Kremlin where he fires Valentin Yumashev, his chief of staff and three other deputies.

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11/26/99 Belarus-Russia union treaty schedule to bee signed. The signing was postponed due to Yeltsin's illness.

12/31/99 At age 68, Boris Yeltsin announces his resignation of the Presidency. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was his chosen successor.

The effect of Yeltsin's ilnesses on Russia.
History of Illness (scroll to end of article.)
Promakov attempts to boost Russian ecomony in Yeltsin's absence.

ktjones@ldc.upenn.edu
July 10, 2000

03/17/98	Officials announce the cancellation of a summit between the presidents of former Soviet Republics due to Yeltsin's respiratory infection.
09/11/98	Foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov is elected as as prime minister.
********************
10/13/98	Yeltsin cuts a trip to Central Asia short due to respiratory infection.
10/26/98	Yeltsin calls off a trip to a summit between Russian and the European Union due to his illness. Primakov attends the summit in his place.
10/27/98	Yeltsin enters the Barvikha sanitarium--a rest home outside Moscow--to recover from what was said to to high blood pressure and exhaustion.
11/23/98	Yeltsin enters the hospital with pneumonia. Yeltsin's spokesman says the President is not too ill to fulfill his duties.
12/07/98	Yeltsin leaves the hospital where he is recovering from pneumonia to travel to the Kremlin where he fires Valentin Yumashev, his chief of staff and three other deputies.
********************
11/26/99	Belarus-Russia union treaty schedule to bee signed. The signing was postponed due to Yeltsin's illness.
12/31/99	At age 68, Boris Yeltsin announces his resignation of the Presidency. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was his chosen successor.