Learn about Boris Yeltsin, the first freely elected president of Russia who oversaw the collapse of the Soviet Union and the transition to a free market economy. Explore his early life, political career, achievements, challenges and death.

Boris Yeltsin, (born Feb. 1, 1931, Sverdlovsk, Russia, U.S.S.R.—died April 23, 2007, Moscow, Russia), Russian politician and president of Russia (1990–99). After attending the Urals Polytechnic Institute, he worked at construction projects in western Russia (1955–68).

Boris N. Yeltsin, the burly provincial politician who became a Soviet-era reformer and later a towering figure of his time as the first freely elected leader of Russia, presiding over the...

Boris Yeltsin, who has died at the age of 76, secured his place in history by precipitating the end of the Soviet Union and becoming Russia’s first elected president. But by the end of...

Boris N. Yeltsin, the burly provincial politician who became the first freely elected leader of Russia and a towering figure of his time when he presided over the dissolution of the Soviet...

Learn about the life and career of Boris Yeltsin, who led the Russian Federation after the fall of the Soviet Union. Find out how he reformed the economy, faced challenges, and resigned from office.

Boris Yeltsin, who became president of Russia in 1991, was one of the most complex political leaders of his time. A longtime Communist Party leader, he was an important leader in the reform (social improvement) movements of the late 1980s and 1990s.

A biography of Boris Yeltsin, the first president of the Russian Federation who led the dissolution of the Soviet Union and introduced radical economic reforms. Learn about his early life, political career, achievements, controversies, and legacy.