by Dr Paul Kindlon at Russia Insider

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the “August coup” that brought Boris Yeltsin to prominence and power. In the western media Yeltsin is often contrasted with Putin and portrayed as an ethical reformer and anti-corruption crusader. But is this the real Yeltsin?

Coincidentally, at the time Yeltsin was standing on top of a tank declaring himself as a defender of political reform, I was in Chicago“defending” my doctoral dissertation. Little did I know that only one year later I would be reporting Russian news as a broadcast journalist in Moscow and interviewing key players involved in the conflict between anti-Yeltsin pro-communist figures and pro-Yeltsin democracy advocates. Because of my position as a journalist in Moscow I was able to learn a great deal about “the real Boris Yeltsin”.

So let’s get to the key questions on this metaphysical matter…

“Wasn’t…