Yeltsin's Russia

Question 1

Who was Yeltsin?

Answer 1

President of Russia at the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991

Question 2

Why was Yeltsin popular with the Russian public?

Answer 2

1. Openly criticised government policies
2. Strong pro-Russian Nationlist

Question 3

What symbolic action in August 1991 meant that in the eyes of the Russian people he became a heroic figure?

Answer 3

Defied the Communist coup by standing on a tank in front of the Russian parliament building

Question 4

When did he sign away the USSR and form the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)?

Answer 4

December 1991

Question 5

What did economic ‘shock therapy’ entail?

Answer 5

Transition into capitalist economy

• Ended government control on prices
• Privatised industry
• Encouraged free and unregulated market

Question 6

How did Yeltsin try to encourage private investment?

How did this backfire on the majority of Russians?

Answer 6

Gave each Russian citizen a voucher worth 10,000 roubles to invest in new private companies.

Old corrupt factory workers from the Communist era were sold the new companies at low prices.

Question 7

Further effects of Yeltsin’s economic policies?

Answer 7

Oligarchs became extremely wealthy - monopolised on manufacturing, power, banking, and the media.

Rest of Russia slumped further into poverty.

Question 8

Why was Yeltsin accuse of ‘economic genocide’?

Result on the Russian people?

Result on Russian economy?

Answer 8

He:

• Increased interest rates
• Heightened taxation
• Reduced welfare spending

High cost of living and rampant inflation.

Reduced standard of living, fall in life expectancy.

Caused a huge slump in the Russian economy.

Question 9

Give an example of Yeltsin’s personal corruption

Answer 9

Started driving in chauffeured limousines

Question 10

What was the result of the poor economic situation on Yeltsin politically?

Answer 10

His followers distanced themselves from the economic situation so he was forced to rule by decree in 1993.

He dissolved the Congress of Deputies - led to the Russian parliament trying to impeach Yeltsin

(1993 Russian constitutional crisis)

, and overall 187 - 2,000 people were killed in street fighting

Question 11

Name 4 ways Yeltsin enhanced his international political status/ it was enhanced

Answer 11

1. Travelled the world
2. Clinton and John Major first world leaders to visit new regime in Moscow
3. Joined G7 nations
4. 1994 Queen Elizabeth first UK monarch to visit new regime in Moscow

Question 12

When did Yeltsin send troops into Chechnya?

Why?

Answer 12

December 1994

They wanted independence, Yeltsin wanted their oil

Question 13

Fallout of conflict in Chechnya?

Answer 13

70,000 casualties - majotity civillians

Bombing of Grozny (capital) led to leader launching another jihad like Afghanistan against Russia

Causefire 1996, but widespread international disquiet

Conflict picked back up again in 1999 and lasted most of next decade.

Question 14

When did Yeltsin resign and why?

Succeeded by..?

Answer 14

1999

• Health problems
• Continued economic mismanagement
• Crisis that affected the oligarchs who supported him (rouble collapsed Aug 1998?)

Putin

Question 15

What eventually caused the Russian economy to pick up again after Yeltsin?

Answer 15

Rising oil prices