Gorbachev blames Yeltsin for fall of Soviet Union

(25 Dec 2001)

APTN - December 21, 2001
1. Press conference by former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev
2. Press conference
3. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet Union President
"I was struck by the treacherous behavior of the people who were crushing the country and carving the people - all for the sake of revenge and czar-like privileges for themselves. We know what this has led to."
4. Cutaway presser
5. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet Union President
"Yeltsin didn't care about anything. His only intention was to destroy the (Soviet) Union."

APTN FILE, August 1991
8. Yeltsin on top a tank
9. Yeltsin addressing people
10. Wide shot tanks near government buildings
11. Three communist hardliners at a press conference in Moscow

APTN FILE, August 1991
12. Aircraft bringing Gorbachev and family from Faros, the Crimea, following the abortive coup by communist hardliners
13. People waiting for Gorbachev
14. Gorbachev walking down the ramp

APTN FILE, 1991
15. Gorbachev and Yeltsin

APTN - December 25, 2001
16. Photograph from today's papers on Gorbachev resignation
17. Photograph showing Gorbachev signing his resignation

APTN - December 21, 2001
18. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet Union President
"All this is unclear to me. But I wish him (Yeltsin) good health. He has returned in high spirits after medical checkups, he is going to live for a long time; he's been given a guarantee. Let him ponder on what happened."
19. Cutaway press
20. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet Union President
"I think that he (Vladimir Putin), having thought over many things in the past year and a half as president. And I'm sure he will draw such conclusions that he will deserve support."

APTN FILE, March 2001, (Gorbachev's birthday celebrations)
21. Huge screen showing episodes of Gorbachev's life
22. Gorbachev with family members
23. Gorbachev wiping tears

STORYLINE:

Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev has blamed the fall of the Soviet Union on Boris Yeltsin, then head of the Russian republic, and the leaders of Belarus and Ukraine.

Gorbachev was speaking at a press conference in the Russian capital Moscow this week to mark the 10th anniversary of his resignation as Soviet president on December 25.

Gorbachev described Yeltsin's behavior as treacherous and said he was ready for anything for the sake of czar-like privileges which he acquired after becoming the president of Russia.

On December 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned as president of the Soviet Union.

He handed over the so-called nuclear suitcase - containing the codes and communication equipment for launching the country's nuclear missiles - to Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

It marked the end of a process that had been accelerating since the previous August, when pro-Yeltsin forces defeated an attempted coup by Communist hardliners.

As to President Vladimir Putin, Gorbachev has expressed his support for his policies.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
#Gorbachev #Yeltsin f#sovietunion
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/d3db336907cbdb25397f406e60cd2a82

Видео Gorbachev blames Yeltsin for fall of Soviet Union канала AP Archive