On October 25, 1991, a world-shattering scene was staged in the Moscow Kremlin: the symbol of the Soviet Union, the five-star flag of the sickle and hammer, was slowly lowered, marking the end of the Soviet superpower. After that, the red, white and blue tricolor of the Russian Federation, taking its place, flew in the Kremlin. On this day, the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, announced the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This is not only a change of regime, but also the end of one era and the beginning of another. Behind this is deep international politics, economic reforms, social unrest, and the rise of a key figure, Boris Yeltsin.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the once sturdy superpower began to fall apart, and the republics declared their independence. Russia, as the core and successor of the Soviet Union, faces the daunting task of reconstruction. Boris Yeltsin, a controversial figure, stood on the cusp of history.
"Comrades, the USSR no longer exists." This is a sentence from Gorbachev in a televised speech. Yeltsin pondered in his office, facing a country in disarray and countless expectant eyes.
"We need radical reform." Yeltsin told his advisers that his voice was firm and forceful, "Market liberalization — this will be our direction." ”
Subsequently, Yeltsin promoted a series of radical economic reforms. Under his guidance, large-scale privatization was carried out in Russia. This reform has not come without a cost. State-owned assets were sold at low prices to a small number of people, who later became known as "oligarchs".
"We are making history, but it should not be monopolized by oligarchs." An opponent denounced it in parliament.
And politically, Yeltsin tried to create a strong presidential state. Through a series of political maneuvers, he strengthened the president's power, but this also sparked widespread controversy.
"Democracy should not be about the president having the power alone." In the famous Russian constitutional crisis of 1993, the confrontation between parliament and Yeltsin reached its peak. Yeltsin ordered the bombardment of the protesting parliament building with tanks, a scene that shocked the world.
Economic liberalization reforms have not brought the same prosperity as expected. On the contrary, Russia has experienced a deep economic crisis. A large number of state-owned enterprises have gone bankrupt, unemployment has soared, and people's living standards have fallen sharply.
"Are we betrayed?" An ordinary worker asked angrily during a protest on the street.
Until Yeltsin's resignation in 1999, Russia's politics and economy were in turmoil. Yeltsin's political career ended with his resignation and support for the latecomer Putin. In the process, however, he and his family appeared exceptionally wealthy and secure, almost monopolizing many key industries in Russia.
Yeltsin's political career ended in a rather ironic way. Physical and political pressure led him to announce his resignation in 1999, handing over power to Vladimir Putin. Putin's rise also marks the beginning of a new era for Russia.
"I resigned, and I apologize to everyone, especially those who have suffered for my mistakes." Yeltsin said in a televised address. It is a symbolic closing of an era and a kind of confession of the past.
Yeltsin's story is an interweaving of power, reform, and personal destiny. His ascension to power symbolized the end of the Soviet Union and the birth of a new Russia, but his policies and decisions also sparked widespread controversy and profound social change. The lessons of the Yeltsin era remind us that reform is necessary, but how to balance forces in reform, ensure justice, and prevent the interests of the few from taking precedence over the majority is an eternal problem. His life is a chapter in the history of Russia and the world, providing a profound reflection on power, reform and responsibility.