05.2003 - Source: US Department of State

Background information on people, history, political and economic situation ("Background Note: Russia") [#15322], [ID 11036]

Document(s): Open document

04.2002 - Source: UK Home Office

UK Home Office: Historical developments ("Country Assessment - April 2002") [#7107], [ID 11038]

"3.8. During 1992, while Yeltsin accelerated his economic reform programme, there were increasing threats of conflict between the executive and the legislature, and his position remained precarious. By the beginning of May 1993, anti-Yeltsin demonstrations in Moscow by neo-Communist and nationalist groups had degenerated into violent clashes. Aleksandr Rutskoi, Vice-President of the Russian Federation, denounced corruption in Yeltsin's administration and amidst arguments over proposals to amend the Constitution, Yeltsin divested Rutskoi of his official responsibilities. By September 1993, the situation had deteriorated to a point where Yeltsin suspended the Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet on the grounds that they were obstructing both economic and constitutional reform. He also announced elections to a new bicameral Federal Assembly as envisaged in his draft Constitution.[2]


3.9. The Supreme Soviet responded by appointing Rutskoi as President in Yeltsin's place and this was ratified by the Congress of People's Deputies, which also voted to impeach Yeltsin. On 27 September 1993, Rutskoi and his supporters became besieged in the parliament building, while Yeltsin declared a state of emergency. On 4 October, tanks opened fire on the parliament building, forcing the surrender of the rebels, whose leaders were imprisoned and subsequently charged with inciting mass disorder. Meanwhile, Yeltsin announced that presidential elections, provisionally scheduled for mid-1994, would not take place and that he would fulfil his mandate until June 1996. In December 1993, the revised Constitution, increasing presidential power at the expense of the Federal Assembly, was endorsed by referendum held concurrently with elections to the Federal Assembly. No single party or bloc won a decisive majority of seats in the Duma.[2]


3.10. In November 1994, the Russian Security Council agreed to intervene militarily in the separatist republic of Chechnya, which, in November 1991, had declared its independence from Russia. In December 1994, Russian troops were sent in to Chechnya to introduce "constitutional rule". The conflict continued with varied intensity until negotiations achieved a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal in August 1996. However, despite the official cessation of hostilities in Chechnya, atrocities, including abductions and murders, continued and the political status of Chechnya remained unresolved.[2]


3.11. During 1994 and 1995, amidst continuing economic problems, the Chechen crisis, and a growing crime rate, it became clear that Yeltsin had serious health problems. This further undermined his position and in elections to the Duma in December 1995 the Communist Party emerged as the largest single party. However, Yeltsin proceeded to win the presidential elections, emerging from the second round in July 1996 with 54% of the votes cast. However, political infighting, economic problems, persistent speculation over the health of Yeltsin, and a series of financial scandals during 1997 all threatened to undermine the credibility of the government.[2] During 1998, Yeltsin dismissed the government twice, first in March and then again in August. On the first occasion, widely interpreted as an attempt to reassert his authority, he replaced Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin with Sergei Kiriyenko, who was then dismissed in August amidst financial crisis. Then Yeltsin again appointed Chernomyrdin as acting Prime Minister, but was unable to secure parliamentary approval. Eventually, in September 1998, Foreign Minister, Yevgenii Primakov was appointed as a compromise Prime Minister.[1]


3.12. In August 1999, Vladimir Putin was appointed Prime Minister.[2] Subsequently, a total of 26 parties and blocs contested the Duma elections on 19 December 1999.[32] On 31 December 1999, Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned as President and Putin became acting President until elections in March 2000, which saw him confirmed in the position with 53% of the vote. While the conflict in Chechnya continued, in April the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted to suspend Russia's membership unless progress were made towards ending human rights abuses there. In May 2000, Putin was inaugurated as President and formed a government headed by the former First Deputy Prime Minister, Mikhail Kasyanov.[1]


3.13. These changes took place in the context of renewed conflict in Chechnya. A 1997 accord had established an uneasy peace there, but in early August 1999 the status quo was broken when Chechen-backed Islamist guerrillas carried out an insurgent raid on neighbouring Dagestan. They withdrew after Russian troops were dispatched to the region, but there were renewed incursions and fighting in September 1999. Subsequent fatal terrorist bombings throughout Russia, allegedly the work of Chechens, led the government to launch a full-scale attack on Chechnya, in an attempt to reassert federal control there. This began in September 1999 and resulted in heavy casualties on both sides and the displacement of a large proportion of the Chechen population. In early February 2000, Putin announced victory when federal troops recaptured the Chechen capital, Grozny, but the rebels claimed that their withdrawal from the capital had been tactical and warned of a long guerrilla war.[2] This continued in the mountainous south of the republic, where Chechen guerrilla tactics met with some success, forcing Russian officials to admit that military control in parts of the republic was much weaker than officially acknowledged.[1]"

Document(s): Open document

07.1996 - Source: US Library of Congress

Russian History ("Russia - A Country Study") [ID 11039]

Document(s): Russia - A Country Study