Yeltsin Too Sick For Quick Return To Job

The Kremlin acknowledged Friday that Boris Yeltsin is too sick to return to his office any time soon and postponed an upcoming regional summit, deepening political uncertainty caused by his fragile health.

The president’s aides, who have portrayed a steady recovery from both heart surgery and pneumonia, divulged no new details about his condition and refused again to release photos or videotape of him.

The Russian leader, recuperating at his country home after a 12-day hospital stay, hasn’t been seen in public or on television since Jan. 6.