Twenty-five years on, the Yeltsin Centre shows Russia’s danger
Although I have been to the Yeltsin Centre in Yekaterinburg many times for research, about half way through my last visit, I began to feel uneasy. Videos of the coup and parliament bombings touched a nerve. How quickly the situation changed then. Images of buildings around Pushkin Square in Moscow, near where I used to work, being smashed by vandals and cars alike. Such events feel unthinkable in Moscow today. In the Yeltsin Centre, I realized just how likely they could be.
Twenty-five years ago, as Boris Yeltsin resigned from his position as president of the Russian Federation, his wife and daughter were utterly relieved. The job had taken its toll in just about every way and the Yeltsins were excited to get their family life back. But Russia and the world were stunned. It came out of the blue. What next for Russia after the chaos? Nobody knew.
May 5, 2025 -
James C. Pearce
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History and MemoryIssue 3 2025Magazine
Outside the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Photo: Mikhail Markovskiy / Shutterstock
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