What is Boris Yeltsin known for?
I am known for smashing the old Soviet system. I was the first president of a new Russia, a Russia free from the shackles of communism. My life's work was dedicated to tearing down the rotten edifice of the past and building something new, something democratic and free. This was not a task for the faint of heart, nor for those who preferred endless meetings and compromises. We needed a clean break, a radical transformation. The people craved freedom, and I made sure they got it, even if the path was strewn with obstacles. My autobiography, 'Against the Grain,' details this fight.
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