Yeltsin foes join forces
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.RUSSIA'S resurgent Communists and other leading opponents of President Boris Yeltsin yesterday announced a new alliance of 'citizen-patriots' to bury what an emotional manifesto condemned as ruinous reform, while Alexander Rutskoi, the former vice-president, called for a revival of the Soviet Union.
The twin appeals underscored a volatile political ferment, heightened by Mr Yeltsin's abrupt decision on Monday to absent himself from the capital and retire to the Black Sea for a holiday.
Before his departure, Mr Yeltsin had suggested a truce with Russia's parliament. He got his response yesterday in the form of a proclamation signed by a phalanx of powerful foes - though not the ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky or Mr Rutskoi - denouncing reform and announcing a new movement, Accord for Russia.
The group's declared aim was 'to prevent the final collapse of historic Russia. Disaster has come to our common home. Everyone feels in their heart. It cannot go on like this. It must be stopped.'
Mr Rutskoi said: 'We are destined by Lord God himself to live as one family, one nation, one state, a Great Power.' He demanded another referendum on a reconstituted union. Such a proposition would almost certainly win. Russians form the biggest ethnic group by far in the former Soviet Union. But many non-Russians are fed up with the economic chaos that followed independence.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments