Boris Yeltsin dies at 76

Former President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin dies at age 76, the Kremlin says.

"Today, at 15:45 (11:45 GMT) Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin died in the Central Clinical Hospital as a result of a deteriorating cardio-vascular problem," said the spokesperson. Yeltsin had a history of heart problems.

Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation from 1991 to 1999. The Yeltsin era was a traumatic period in Russian history marked by widespread corruption, economic collapse, and enormous political and social problems.

An unidentified medical source reported to Interfax that he died of heart failure. Due to his Russian Orthodox faith, he likely will be buried in a private cemetery instead of in Red Square.

Shortly after the news broke, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev issued a statement, saying "I offer my deepest condolences to the family of a man on whose shoulders rested many great deeds for the good of the country and serious mistakes - a tragic fate".

Source: Wikipedia