2007 Timeline

Changes in Russia and other 2007 April events

Boris Yeltsin, the first President of the Russian Federation who served from 1991 to 1999 died on April 23, 2007 at age 76. In 1991 was Yeltsin elected president of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, becoming the first popularly elected president. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 Boris Yeltsin tried to transform Russia into a capitalist market economy. However, the reforms were too slow and caused series of economic and political crisis in Russia in the 1990s. Following the 1998 Russian financial crisis Boris Yeltsin resigned just few hours before the first day of 2000 and left the presidency in the hands of Vladimir Putin.