Yeltsin Center Presents Former Russian President's Legacy
To mark what would have been Boris Yeltsin's 85th birthday on February 1, we are re-upping these pictures from the opening of the Yeltsin Center in Yekaterinburg late last year. A first of its kind in Russia, it showcases the legacy of the former president with a library, museum, and exhibition space. There are more than 30,000 exhibits and 13,000 photos. The center has been financed with $76 million of public money plus around 50 private sponsors, including President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. (RFE/RL's Russian Service)
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Visitors are greeted by Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his wife, Naina, on a big screen.
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The view changes to show Yeltsin with his U.S. counterpart, George H.W. Bush. ...
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...and then Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov -- initially an ally, later a political rival.
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A model of a Moscow trolley bus. Yetsin used them to get around town when he was secretary of the Moscow City Committee of the Communist Party.
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Later in his career he could enjoy the Presidential ZiL limousine.
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But there's less luxury on show at a mock-up of an early '90s Russian store.
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Televisions, VHS players, and clunky hi-fi systems provide more of the flavor of everyday life in the Yeltsin years.
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Visitors pose for snaps by a bronze statue of Yeltsin.
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There's also a satirical take on the late Russian leader.
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Yeltsin's office...
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...and his "nuclear suitcase."
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The Barricades exhibition hall recalls the 1991 Moscow putsch. Yeltsin led the defense of the White House, the Russian parliament building, pictured in the background.
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The names of the Yeltsin Center sponsors, including President Vladimir Putin and oligarch Roman Abramovich.
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General view of the Yeltsin Center complex