Boris Yeltsin: pros and cons of government. Domestic policy

First President Russian Federation

Soviet party and Russian political and statesman, 1st President of Russia. Elected President 2 times - June 12, 1991 and July 3, 1996, held this position from July 10, 1991 to December 31, 1999.

Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin was born on February 1, 1931. Sverdlovsk region, Butka village, Talitsky district.

Yeltsin - biography

Father, Nikolai Ignatievich, worked as a carpenter. During the years of repression, he was imprisoned allegedly for anti-Soviet statements. Boris's mother, Klavdia Vasilievna - nee Starygina.

Boris was the eldest of her two children.

Boris Yeltsin studied well at school, according to him, but after the 7th grade was expelled from school for bad behavior, however, he achieved (by reaching the city party committee) that he was allowed to enter the 8th grade at another school.

In the army B.N. Yeltsin did not serve due to health reasons: as a child he was injured and lost 2 fingers on his hand.

In 1955, B. Yeltsin graduated from the Ural Polytechnic Institute. CM. Kirova - Faculty of Civil Engineering, majoring in civil engineering. At first he worked as an ordinary foreman, gradually advancing in his career to the position of head of the DSK.

In 1956, Boris Yeltsin started a family, choosing his classmate Naina Iosifovna Girina (baptized Anastasia) as his wife. She is a civil engineer by training, from 1955 to 1985. worked at the Sverdlovsk Institute “Vodokanalproekt” as an engineer, senior engineer, and chief project engineer.

A year later, in 1958, a daughter, Elena, was born into the Yeltsin family. In 1960 - 2nd daughter Tatyana.

The year 1961 is significant for Boris Nikolaevich in that he joined the ranks of the CPSU.

Boris Yeltsin - career in the party

In 1968, his party work began: Yeltsin took the position of head of the construction department in the Sverdlovsk Regional Committee of the CPSU.

1975 - further advancement up the party ladder: B.N. Yeltsin was elected secretary of the regional committee of the CPSU of Sverdlovsk, he became responsible for the development of industry in the region.

In 1981, at the XXVI Congress of the CPSU, Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin was elected a member of the CPSU Central Committee, he headed the construction department, in this position B.N. Yeltsin worked until 1990.

In 1976 – 1985 He returned to the Sverdlovsk Regional Committee of the CPSU to the post of 1st Secretary.

In 1978 – 1989 B.N. Yeltsin was elected deputy Supreme Council THE USSR.

In 1981, Boris Nikolaevich gave his first and last name to his grandson, since Boris Yeltsin had no sons, which threatened to interrupt the family line.

In 1984, Yeltsin became a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR - until 1988.

He went to work in Moscow in June 1985 as Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee for construction issues.

From December 1985 to November 1987 he worked as 1st Secretary of the Moscow City Committee of the CPSU.

In October 1987, at the plenum of the Central Committee B Yeltsin comes out with harsh criticism of M. Gorbachev and the party leadership. The Plenum condemned Yeltsin's speech, and soon after that Boris Nikolayevich was transferred to the position of deputy head of Gosstroy, lower in rank than the 1st Secretary of the Moscow City Committee of the CPSU.

In March 1989, B.N. Yeltsin was elected people's deputy of the USSR.

In 1990, Boris Yeltsin became a people's deputy of the RSFSR, and in July of the same year he was elected chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, and he left the CPSU.

Yeltsin President of the Russian Federation

On June 12, 1991, B.N. Yeltsin was elected President of the Russian Federation. After his election, B. Yeltsin’s main slogans were the fight against the privileges of the nomenklatura and the independence of Russia from the USSR.

On July 10, 1991, Boris Yeltsin took the oath of allegiance to the people of Russia and Russian Constitution, and took office as President of the RSFSR.

In August 1991, the confrontation between Yeltsin and the putschists began, which led to a proposal to ban the activities of the Communist Party, and on August 19, Boris Yeltsin said from a tank famous speech, in which he read out a decree on the illegitimate activities of the State Emergency Committee. The putsch is defeated, the activities of the CPSU are completely prohibited.

On November 12, 1991, the Medal of Democracy, established by the International Association of Political Consultants, was awarded to B.N. Yeltsin for democratic transformations in Russia.

In December 1991, the USSR officially ceased to exist: in Belovezhskaya Pushcha Boris Yeltsin, Leonid Kravchuk (President of Ukraine) and Stanislav Shushkevich (President of Belarus) create and sign the Commonwealth Treaty Independent States(CIS). Soon the majority joined the Commonwealth union republics who signed the Alma-Ata Declaration on December 21.

Russian President Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin.

December 25, 1991 B.N. Yeltsin received full presidential power in Russia in connection with the resignation of USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev and the actual collapse of the USSR.

1992 – 1993 – new stage in construction Russian state- privatization has begun, economic reform is being carried out, supported by President B.N. Yeltsin.

In September-October 1993, a confrontation between Boris Yeltsin and the Supreme Council began, which led to the dissolution of parliament. There were riots in Moscow, the peak of which occurred on October 3-4, supporters of the Supreme Council seized the television center, the situation was brought under control only with the help of tanks.

In 1994, the 1st Chechen War, which led to a huge number of casualties among both civilians and the military, as well as among law enforcement officers.

In May 1996, Boris Yeltsin was forced to sign an order in Khasavyurt to withdraw troops from Chechnya, which theoretically meant the end of the first Chechen war.

Yeltsin - years of rule

In the same year, the first term of B.N.’s presidency ended. Yeltsin, and he began the election campaign for a second term. More than 1 million signatures were submitted in support of Yeltsin. The campaign slogan is “Vote or lose.” As a result of the 1st round of elections, B.N. Yeltsin gets 35.28% of the votes. Yeltsin's main competitor in the elections is the communist G.A. Zyuganov. But after the second round with a result of 53.82% of the votes, Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin was elected President of the Russian Federation for a second term.

On November 5, 1996, B. Yeltsin went to the clinic, where he underwent heart surgery - coronary artery bypass grafting.

In 1998 and 1999 in Russia, as a result of unsuccessful economic policy, a default occurs, then a government crisis. At Yeltsin's instigation, Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, Sergei Kiriyenko, Yevgeny Primakov, and Sergei Stepashin resigned, after which in August 1999, Secretary of the Security Council Vladimir Putin was appointed acting chairman of the government of the Russian Federation.

December 31, 1999 at New Year's message Boris Yeltsin announced his early resignation to the people of Russia. Prime Minister V.V. has been entrusted with the temporary duties of head of state. Putin, who provides Yeltsin and his family with guarantees of complete security.


After his resignation, Boris Nikolaevich and his family settled in a resort village near Moscow - Barvikha.

On April 23, 2007, Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin died in the Central Clinical Hospital of Moscow from cardiac arrest and was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery.
He was married once, had 2 daughters, 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Wife - Naina Iosifovna Yeltsina (Girina) (baptized Anastasia). Daughters - Elena Okulova (married to the acting general director of the joint stock company Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines) and Tatyana Dyachenko (has military rank- Colonel, in 1997 she was an adviser to the president).

Results of Yeltsin's reign

B.N. Yeltsin is historically noted as the first popularly elected President of Russia, transformer political structure country, a radical reformer of Russia's economic course. Known for the unique decision to ban the CPSU, the course of refusal to build socialism, the decisions to dissolve the Supreme Council, he is famous for the storming of the Government House in Moscow in 1993 with the use of armored vehicles and the military campaign in Chechnya.

Political scientists and the media characterized Yeltsin as an extraordinary person, unpredictable in behavior, eccentric, power-hungry; his tenacity and cunning were also noted. Opponents of Boris Nikolayevich argued that he was characterized by cruelty, cowardice, rancor, deceit, and a low intellectual and cultural level.

In assessments of critics of the Yeltsin regime, his period of rule is often referred to as Yeltsinism. Boris Yeltsin, as president, was criticized in connection with the general negative trends in the country's development in the 1990s: the economic downturn, the state's refusal of social obligations, a sharp decline in living standards, aggravation of social problems and the resulting population decline. In the second half of the 90s, he was often accused of transferring the main levers of economic management into the hands of a group of influential entrepreneurs - oligarchs and the corrupt top of the state apparatus, and his entire economic policy boiled down to lobbying the interests of one or another group of people depending on their influence.

By the end of 1992, the division of the country's inhabitants into rich and poor sharply increased. Almost half of Russia's population found itself below the poverty line.
By 1996 it had decreased by 50% industrial production, and agriculture - by a third. The loss of gross domestic product amounted to approximately 40%.
By 1999, unemployment in Russia had grown greatly and affected 9 million people.

The presidents of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia signed on December 8, 1991 Bialowieza Agreement. This was done in spite of the referendum on the preservation of the USSR, which took place the day before - March 17, 1991. This agreement, according to Yeltsin’s opponents, destroyed the USSR and caused bloody conflicts in Chechnya, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh and Tajikistan.

The deployment of troops into Chechnya began on December 11, 1994, after Yeltsin’s decree “On measures to suppress the activities of illegal armed groups in the territory Chechen Republic and in the zone of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict." As a result of the ill-considered actions of Russia's political elite, large casualties occurred among both military and civilians: tens of thousands of people died and hundreds of thousands were injured. Subsequent actions of Chechen militants, aimed at even wider expansion in the North Caucasus, forced Yeltsin to resume fighting in Chechnya in September 1999, which resulted in a full-scale war.

The protests of citizens on the streets that followed the storming of the Moscow City Hall and the Ostankino television center by Rutsky's supporters on October 3 were brutally suppressed. Troops were brought into Moscow in the early morning of October 4, and 123 people died on both sides (more than 1.5 thousand people - according to the opposition). These events became a black spot in modern history Russia.

To introduce the principles of a market economy, price liberalization began in January 1992 economic reforms. In the country, in just a few days, prices for food and essential goods increased many times over, a huge number of enterprises went bankrupt, and citizens’ deposits in state banks became worthless. A confrontation began between the President and the Congress people's deputies, who sought to amend the constitution to limit the rights of the president.

In August 1998, default broke out, a financial crisis caused by the government's inability to meet its debt obligations. The three-fold fall in the ruble exchange rate led to the collapse of numerous small and medium-sized enterprises and the destruction of the emerging middle class. The banking sector was almost completely destroyed. However, already in next year The economic situation was stabilized. This was facilitated by an increase in oil prices on world markets, which made it possible to gradually begin payments on external debt. One of the consequences of the crisis was the revival of the activities of domestic industrial enterprises, which replaced on the domestic market products that were previously purchased abroad.

Sharp deterioration demographic situation in Russia began in 1992. One of the reasons for the population decline was the government's reduction in social support for the population. The incidence of AIDS has increased 60 times, and infant mortality has doubled.

But still, despite such negative assessments of the rule of this leader, Yeltsin’s memory is immortalized.

On April 23, 2008, a solemn opening ceremony of the monument to Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin took place at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow, and at the same time the Ural State Technical University was named after Boris Yeltsin.

B.N. Yeltsin wrote 3 books:
1990 - “Confession on a given topic”
1994 - “Notes of the President”
2000 - “Presidential Marathon”, became a laureate of the International Literary Award “Capri-90”.

In a circle Russian officials At one time it was fashionable to engage in one of Yeltsin’s favorite pastimes - playing tennis.

Yeltsin was an Honorary Citizen. Kazan, Yerevan (Armenia), Samara region, Turkmenistan, awarded in 1981 the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Badge of Honor, and two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor.

On November 12, 1991, B.N. Yeltsin was awarded the Medal of Democracy, established in 1982, by the International Association of Political Consultants, and had the highest state award Italy - Order of the Knight Grand Cross, was a Knight of the Order of Malta.

Once the ideals Soviet Union became a thing of the past along with the state itself, the question arose about moving the country forward. Russia needed urgent reforms in the field of economics and domestic policy. She also needed a strong politician at the helm, capable of carrying out a series of controversial reforms with a firm hand. While the country was being rebuilt to a democratic model of government, lawlessness and racketeering flourished in Russia. After two economic crises, when most of The country's population found itself on the brink of poverty, and the world finally realized that the former superpower had disappeared. During his two terms in office, the new president managed to destroy iron curtain, additionally bringing down the authority of the state in the international arena.

Now Yeltsin’s reforms are viewed primarily in a negative light, noting the shortcomings of his policies. However, this article will also highlight the positive aspects of Yeltsin’s transformative actions in the struggle to create a country with extremely new ideological and political views. Was there a grain of truth in Yeltsin’s reforms, and what guided the politician in implementing certain bills?

Pros and cons of Yeltsin's reforms in the 90s

Yeltsin’s time in power cannot be called unambiguous, because during this period the country was being restructured towards new democratic guidelines. The article below summarizes the main advantages and disadvantages of Yeltsin's reforms.

Advantages reform actions Yeltsin	Disadvantages of Yeltsin's reform actions
1. International relations with European countries and the USA have improved. Yeltsin actively held meetings with world leaders in order to consolidate friendly relations with them.	1. The internal political situation in the country has sharply deteriorated; separatist sentiments have increased in some regions (in particular, in Chechnya, which led to lengthy military campaigns).
2. Conditions are created for freedom of speech in the press and in art (no longer exists government agencies censorship and control over creative professionals).	2. Banditry is flourishing in the country, racketeering is gaining momentum, and despite freedom of speech, journalists and artists are not provided with any protection from criminal units ( illustrative example lawlessness - the scandalous murder of Vlad Listyev).
3. The private business sector is increasing, comprehensive privatization is being carried out. People begin to work for themselves, which corresponds to the norms of democratic law.	3. Against the backdrop of an increase in the private business sector, the unemployment rate is increasing. In the early 90s salaries delayed by several months, the global economic crisis is manifesting itself in massive reductions in jobs and career prospects.
4. The number of banks in the country is increasing, new areas of activity unknown in the Soviet Union are appearing, and the people are provided with absolute freedom choice of power (Yeltsin is considered the first freely elected president).	4. Main disadvantage reform activities Yeltsin is an admission of two global economic crises. Every citizen in the country becomes aware of the word “default”; the depreciation of the national currency leads to the impoverishment of the majority of the state’s residents. Against this background, Russia’s position in the international arena is deteriorating; the United States ceases to perceive the country as a competitor due to the protracted economic and political crisis.
5. Global political and constitutional changes are being introduced: in particular, the country is introducing multi-party system, freedom of speech, parliamentary elections, the possibility of impeachment appears, prescribed in legislation. All this directly points to the introduction democratic rights and freedoms for the people.	5. In reality, the 1993 Constitution does not work well. Corruption, which was fought by everyone during the Soviet Union, is beginning to flourish in the country. accessible ways. Racketeering and gang activity are rarely stopped by law, and after Yeltsin was re-elected to the presidency in 1996, people began to doubt the fairness of the vote count.
6. According to democratic freedoms, the country's borders are opening, and Russian residents finally have the opportunity to travel around the world.	6. Against the backdrop of a thriving economic and political crisis, coupled with banditry, people begin to flee Russia en masse. (the outflow of the intellectual and creative elite can be compared with the flight of the intelligentsia during the 1917 revolution).

IN modern textbooks in history political activity Yeltsin is assessed one-sidedly, and “ United Russia"and is trying to imagine this historical period in a positive way. In fact, the state was in terrible economic and political crisis. While seeking the collapse of the Soviet Union and the separation of the former republics, Yeltsin and his associates had little idea of ​​how to organize the activities of the state in the future. As a result, the country found itself on the ruins of its past, with little prospect of a happy future.

However, it was during this difficult period, which included a lot of reform mistakes, that the foundations of a democratic state were laid, which still raise a lot of claims and questions.

1. Olesya

   Very detailed, well-written material. Only one question arises: was it possible to lead the country into another area of ​​development after the crisis? It is now clear that the course chosen by Yeltsin was unsuccessful and led to even more difficult economic crisis. Did the country have a different path of development? This is the question to which all scientific and historical works must be devoted.

2. vsvikt

   Unfortunately, Yeltsin's rule set the country back a long way. We buried our agriculture and industry, the consequences of his reforms are still felt. The Chinese are great, they took a different path, taking into account all our mistakes.

3. Alex-Kelevra

   History does not tolerate subjunctive mood. What was, has already happened and it cannot be changed, no matter how much we want it. And the Chinese, of course, are great. And we buried not only agriculture and industry, we stopped its development and threw it back several decades, and we drove science and the defense industry and the army into the very... But we all survived it and thank God.

4. Lyudmila

   Forgive me, but I would not say that the decline began from the time of Yeltsin. If you look at the statistics, the decline of agriculture and industry occurred much later. And other people were in power!

5. DDA90

   Today we will not be able to objectively assess the period of B.N.’s reign. Yeltsin. In order to more or less objectively judge historical events, at least 50 years must pass, and preferably 70. In fact, this is an objective law historical science. Therefore, everything that happened after the Second World War is not yet history, but politics.

6. belonog-2016

   I don’t agree that this is all still politics, not history. Even yesterday is already history, and you are talking about the distant 90s. IN present time Not every schoolchild can even define the word “default,” and a lot has changed since then. Although, it was not possible to eradicate such things as corruption, which is a pity...

7. Michal Vanych

   It’s a shame that in order for the “shadow people” to openly demonstrate their wealth, they strangled the unique communist project and at the same time the USSR.

Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin (1931-2007) - Russian politician and statesman, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, first President of the Russian Federation, leader of the democratic movement in the USSR in the late 1980s, leader of the resistance during the August 1991 putsch, one of the initiators of the documents on the liquidation of the USSR, the creation of the CIS and the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Boris Nikolaevich is known primarily for his activities in the 1990s. 20th century, when he stood at the head of the resistance during the famous August Putsch, when members of the State Emergency Committee tried to overthrow Gorbachev and seize power. Yeltsin was able to take control of the situation and end the putsch. Later Yeltsin accepted Active participation during the collapse of the USSR and the creation of a new state. Known as the first president of the Russian Federation, who later voluntarily resigned from his post.

Brief biography of Yeltsin

Boris Yeltsin was born on February 1, 1931 in the village. Butka of the Sverdlovsk region in an ordinary peasant family. He studied well at school and entered the Ural Polytechnic Institute, from which he successfully graduated in 1955. Immediately after graduation he worked in various construction organizations, in 1963 he received the position of chief engineer, and then head of the Sverdlovsk house-building plant.

Yeltsin's party and political activities began in 1968, when he joined the party and was engaged in various party work. In 1976, Yeltsin became the first secretary of the Sverdlovsk regional committee, and since 1981 - a member of the CPSU Central Committee. What began not only did not stall Yeltsin’s political career, but, on the contrary, accelerated it.

In 1985, he became the head of the construction department of the CPSU Central Committee and the first secretary of the CPSU Moscow City Committee, and already in 1986 - a candidate member of the Politburo. During his activities as the head of the capital's party, Yeltsin became famous as a democrat who quite harshly defended his political ideals and often criticized the existing system.

Thus, in 1987, at the October Plenum of the CPSU, Yeltsin spoke sharply about the work of the Politburo and Mikhail Gorbachev personally. For his criticism, Yeltsin was removed from his post and dismissed from the Politburo, but did not abandon political activities. Until the end of the 80s, Yeltsin was in disgrace for his harsh criticism of the system.

However, it was precisely thanks to his desire for democracy that Yeltsin eventually found himself at the head of the democratic movement in the late 1980s. In 1989, he was elected to the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, and later he became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In March 1990, Yeltsin became Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR.

The collapse of the USSR and Yeltsin's political activities

In the early 1990s, Yeltsin tried to carry out a series of economic and political reforms, which had long been brewing to bring the country out of the crisis, but faced serious obstacles from the leadership of the USSR. Not only relations between the USSR and the RSFSR deteriorated, but also relations between Yeltsin and Gorbachev.

In 1990, Yeltsin left the party, and on June 12 he was elected president of the Russian Federation. Followed by August putsch and the collapse of the USSR only strengthened the position of Yeltsin, who became the head of a new state - the Russian Federation.

Since 1992, Yeltsin again began to carry out political and economic reforms, this time without hindrance. However, a number of reforms did not bring desired result, has matured in the government internal conflict between legislative and executive branch. The crisis in the country worsened, the authorities could not reach an agreement, new Constitution was still in development and caused a lot of controversy. As a result, this led to the holding of a Council in 1993 on issues of confidence in the President and the Supreme Council, which ended in tragic events.

As a result of the Council, Yeltsin remained in power, the country continued to move along the course he had planned, but all the Soviets were liquidated. The events to disperse the Council were named. In December 1993, a new Constitution was adopted, the RSFSR turned into a presidential-type republic. Yeltsin still enjoyed confidence, but separatist sentiments were growing within the country.

The Chechen war, along with growing discontent within the state, hit Yeltsin's ratings hard, but this did not stop him from wanting to run for second place. presidential term in 1996. Despite the growing division within supreme authority and his own team, Yeltsin nevertheless became president. During his second term in office, Yeltsin's influence on the political and economic situation in the country weakened, and he lost ground. Another crisis and default occurred in the country; Yeltsin’s rule no longer showed the stability that it had before. The president's rating was falling lower and lower, and along with it, Boris Nikolayevich's health was deteriorating.

In 1999, Yeltsin appointed Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as acting prime minister and resigned during his New Year's address at the end of the year.

Results of Yeltsin's reign

One of Yeltsin's main achievements in his political career was the separation of the RSFSR (Russia) from the Soviet Union and its transformation into Democratic state with the president at its head. As president, Yeltsin carried out a number of reforms to bring the country out of the crisis, but they were not successful. Yeltsin's personality and activities today are assessed ambiguously.

Years of life: 1931-2007

Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin was at the head of Russia in 1991-1999. He was the first President of Russia - from June 12, 1991, in 1990-1991 he was Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and in 1991-1992, as President, he was also the head of the Government of Russia.

The activities of B.N. Yeltsin are a bright page in the history of Russia. He did a lot of positive things along the way of reforming the country, building a truly democratic society. The Constitution of the Russian Federation, adopted in 1993, consolidated democratic transformations in the country. Of course, there were mistakes, miscalculations, and reforms that were not completed. However, Yeltsin will forever remain in the memory of the people as the first President of free Russia.

What are the main activities of B.N. Yeltsin and their results?

One of the main directions of domestic policy there was a reform of the economy, the establishment of market relations in the country. The start of reforms was given in 1991 at the 5th Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation. " Shock therapy“they call the changes in the economy under Yeltsin, they were so unusual and fast. This is the liberalization of prices, the privatization of enterprises and then land, tax and reasonable monopoly policies, the removal of restrictions on foreign trade - all contributed to changes in the economy. Serious changes have also occurred in agriculture- the reorganization of collective and state farms began, they began to create joint stock companies and independent peasant farms. For the first time, a foreign exchange market appeared and private banks were created. Laws were adopted in 1991: “On Property” and “On Enterprises and entrepreneurial activity" However, one cannot fail to note the sharp inflation in the country. “Black Tuesday” was called October 11, 1994, when the ruble exchange rate sharply dropped.

The results of this activity there was a rapid decline in production. So industrial production fell by more than half by 1995. There was a sharp rise in prices - prices for consumer goods increased 26 times. There was a shortage of goods. Difficulties were associated with the sharp course towards reforms and the fact that disintegration was taking place, the curtailment of ties with former republics USSR, which complicated the development of the economy. Thus, there were no significant positive changes in the country, but only increased social polarization in society.

Another important direction in domestic policy Yeltsin was social sphere. Improving the lives of the people became one of the main tasks of the President. However, here too there was more negative than positive. So after the abolition of the universal obligation to work, it appeared a large number of idle people, which led to their degradation, they joined the risk group. The emergence of such a phenomenon as unemployment required measures on the part of management. Unemployment benefits were introduced and labor exchanges were created. The constant growth of the cent forced compensation payments. For the first time, paid education and treatment appeared, many medical institutions were privatized. The state stopped providing free housing, the free sale of apartments appeared, and the privatization of property began.

Results of this activity are ambiguous, as they led to even deeper differentiation of the population, the gap between people with high incomes and a significant part of the population who were on the verge of poverty increased sharply. All this could not but cause social discontent.

The main direction in foreign policy was the preservation of peace, the establishment of mutually beneficial relations with countries. One of the most important documents of this time was the signing of the Declaration of the Russian Federation and the United States on the cessation of the state cold war» February 1, 1992. Several arms reduction agreements were signed with the United States: OSVN-1 in 1991, OSNV-2 in 1993. In 1992, the Russian Federation joined the International Monetary Fund.

What was important was the fact that by 1994 all Soviet troops from countries of Eastern Europe that stabilized relations with them.

The result of this activity was stabilization in international relations, strengthening international trade, establishing friendly relations with both Western countries and Eastern European countries.

In 1996, the Russian Federation signed international Treaty on a general ban on nuclear testing.

Since 1996, the G7 group has grown into big eight", since the Russian Federation became part of it (along with the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan), which was recognition of the international authority of the Russian Federation. Also in 1996, the Russian Federation joined the Council of Europe.

An important International program was the Partnership for Peace program, which the Russian Federation joined in 1994, and in 1997 signed the Founding Act. According to these documents, relations between the countries were built on a peaceful basis.

It was the establishment of friendly relations between the new free Russia and the countries of Western and Eastern Europe, the creation of guarantees for the peaceful coexistence of countries.

The next direction in foreign policy there was the establishment of ties with the former republics of the USSR - CIS. It was necessary to peacefully delimit the economy, form new relations on post-Soviet space and create all the conditions for integration, especially in the economy, since ties in this area were quite strong.

For this purpose, in 1992, the CIS Charter was adopted, regulating relations between countries, and authorities were established: the Council of Heads of State of the CIS, the Council of Heads of Government. The section has been completed Armed Forces, and since 1994, a course has been taken towards economic integration: created Customs Union(RF, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus), establishing preferential treatment for the movement of goods across the border. In all these events, Yeltsin B.N. took an active part, often being an initiator.

The result of this activity was the strengthening of relations with countries - former republics of the USSR, integration in all spheres of public life.

Thus, the activities of B.N. Yeltsin, the first President of Russia, were contradictory. On the one hand, there is bright, positive activity in the international arena, which has contributed to strengthening Russia’s authority and improving the international situation; on the other hand, there are contradictory policies within the country, a weakening of the economy, and increased social polarization. It is no coincidence that in October 1993 a coup was being prepared, as a result of which they wanted to remove Yeltsin from office. The years of his reign are called the “dashing nineties.” Discontent in the country grew. The country was expecting more radical changes. These changes will be implemented by Yeltsin’s successor, V.V. Putin.

When writing a historical essay, you can use the material from an article about who began economic reforms under Boris Yeltsin.