How did Yeltsin usher in Russian democracy?
Democracy is not a gift; it is seized. I stood against the hardliners, the old guard who wanted to preserve their power. The people of Russia spoke at the ballot box, and I listened. My stand at the White House in 1991, defying the coup plotters, was a moment of truth for our nation. We had to shatter the instruments of authoritarianism. Freedom required decisive action, a willingness to confront those who clung to the past and to empower the citizens. It was a battle for the soul of Russia.
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