Yeltsin, Boris (1941–2007)

Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was born in the village of Butka and went down in history as the first freely elected president of Russia. Sworn in as president of the Russian Federation on July 10, 1991, Yeltsin remained in office for over 8 turbulent and decisive years of Russia's democratization and adoption of a free-market economy until he unexpectedly resigned on the eve of 2000 in favor of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, making the former KBG spy acting president.

Yeltsin's early career saw numerous ups and downs. In 1955 he graduated from the Ural Polytechnic Institute in Sverdlovsk with a degree in construction. After joining the Communist Party in 1961, he occupied a number of local and central-level positions in construction and party administration, both in Sverdlovsk ...