He initially avoided being caught up in the coup, and instead took refuge in the Russian White House (the seat of the provincial Parliament) while tanks took control of the Kremlin. Then at a crucial moment, a group of tanks arrived at the building and Yeltsin came out, climbed onto a tank, and made a speech that declared the coup was illegal and the people of Moscow must come out to oppose it. The news spread around the city and 50,000 protestors turned up at the White House in support of Yeltsin. The coup plotters backed away from attacking the building, realising it would result in carnage. As a result, they gave up and Gorbachev was released.
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin was the Russian leader who was known for opposing a coup in the Soviet Union from a tank.
Boris Yeltsin played a crucial role in the fall of the Soviet Union, particularly during the August 1991 coup attempt by hardline communists. As the President of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, he famously defied the coup leaders by climbing onto a tank and rallying public support for democracy. His actions helped to galvanize opposition against the coup, which ultimately failed, leading to a swift decline in Soviet power. In December 1991, Yeltsin declared the dissolution of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era for Russia.
blocked the August Coup
He stood on the tank coming at the kremlin in protest so was more or less a demonstrator
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin was the Russian leader who was known for opposing a coup in the Soviet Union from a tank.
He organized opposition to the coup - Apex
Boris Yeltsin outlawed the Communist Party in Russia. This action took place in August 1991, following a failed coup attempt by hardline communists. Mikhail Gorbachev, who was in power before Yeltsin, initiated reforms and attempted to democratize the Soviet system but did not outlaw the party during his tenure.
He advised people in Moscow to oppose the coup.
A Russian leader who opposed a coup
Boris Yeltsin played a crucial role in the fall of the Soviet Union, particularly during the August 1991 coup attempt by hardline communists. As the President of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, he famously defied the coup leaders by climbing onto a tank and rallying public support for democracy. His actions helped to galvanize opposition against the coup, which ultimately failed, leading to a swift decline in Soviet power. In December 1991, Yeltsin declared the dissolution of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era for Russia.
Boris Yeltsin was the Russian leader who was known for opposing a coup in the Soviet Union from a tank.
Boris Yeltsin was the Russian leader who was known for opposing a coup in the Soviet Union from a tank.
Boris Yeltsin denounced Mikhail Gorbachev primarily due to Gorbachev's policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which Yeltsin believed were insufficient and too slow in addressing the economic and political crises facing the Soviet Union. Yeltsin's criticism also stemmed from a desire for greater political freedom and reform, positioning himself as a champion of Russian nationalism and democratic change. Their relationship deteriorated further during the failed coup in August 1991, where Yeltsin emerged as a key figure opposing Gorbachev's leadership. Ultimately, Yeltsin's denunciation was part of a broader struggle for power and the direction of the Soviet Union's future.
He told the Russian people that the coup was bad, advised all the people of Moscow against the coup, and openly supported Gorbachev.
Boris Yeltsin responded to the August 1991 communist coup attempt by rallying public support against the hardline coup leaders. He famously climbed atop a tank outside the Russian White House, urging citizens to defend democracy and resist the coup. His decisive leadership and call for resistance were instrumental in mobilizing opposition, ultimately leading to the coup's failure and solidifying his position as a key figure in the transition away from communist rule in Russia.