‘New’ Yeltsin Ready For Important Speech

Boris Yeltsin is looking to reinvigorate his presidency with a shake-up and a major speech today, itching to drop a political bombshell or two after months on the sidelines.

After recovering from heart surgery and dishing out a series of tongue-lashings, the healthy “new” Yeltsin again resembles the battling Boris of old rather than a shuffling, absent leader in decline.

Today’s new beginning - a state-of-the-nation address and government reshuffling - may or may not make a dent in the country’s intractable problems. But barring a last-minute relapse, there will be no doubt who’s running Russia when Yeltsin towers, stern-faced, over the podium in parliament to deliver an expected 30-minute speech.