Yeltsin, Boris (1931-2007)

Boris Nikolaïevitch Yeltsin entered Russian history in May 29, 1990, by becoming the President of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. He was also the first President of the Russian Federation, over the course of two mandates, from 1991 to 1996 and from 1996 to 1999, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1999, ill, he named one of his loyal supporters, Vladimir Putin, as the President of the Government.