The Yeltsin Presidency in Retrospect: Myths, Realities, and Lessons to Be Learned

The death of the first President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin, on 23 April 2007 offers an opportunity for a critical reflection on his presidency. This article is a brief attempt at shedding some light on three more or less extended beliefs about Yeltsin’s legacy, – his role in the end of the Soviet Union, Russia’s transition to democracy, and relations with the West – analyzing the extent to which our perceptions of them include elements of myth and reality. Some lessons for current president Putin are suggested in the conclusions.