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Russia: The Wild East

Documentaries

Factual: History

A history of Russia, written and presented by Martin Sixsmith

Russia: The Wild East: Series 2

Russia: The Wild East: Series 2: Episode 23: Brave New World?

Episode 23

Episode 23: Brave New World?

Series 2

Brave New World?

BBC Radio 4 - Russia: The Wild East, Series 2, Brave New World?

After the collapse of the USSR Boris Yeltsin's reforms lead to chaos.

With the glue of communism gone, Russia experiences a decade of turmoil and collapse as Yeltsin's reforms lead to chaos. He is unable to turn back the clock and hands over to Putin.

The programme opens with a new national anthem full of hope for a country frantically ridding itself of its communist past. 

At the time, Martin Sixsmith witnessed the dumping of Moscow's communist statues "here on the grass for the crowds to spit on" and returns to the site to reflect on what actually happened. President Yeltsin's 'economic shock therapy' freed prices and deregulated trade, but inflation soared to 400%. In late 1992 every citizen was given a $60 stake in Russia's denationalized industries, but entrepreneurs bought out the people, who were left poorer than ever. Corruption and violence flourished; wages went unpaid; homelessness and poverty escalated.

When opposition to his policies reached a climax, Yeltsin demanded the right to rule by decree; the Russian parliament refused; Yeltsin dissolved the parliament but the parliament impeached him. Supporters of the 2 sides clashed on the streets of Moscow and Yeltsin sent in the tanks, destroying his reputation as a democrat and giving the Russian Communist Party a chance. When it won a clear majority in the elections of 1995 Yeltsin panicked. Conflict in Chechnya and the failure of the economic reforms had brought Moscow close to bankruptcy so Yeltsin turned to the new oligarchs for a massive injection of cash to save his political skin. In return he had to hand over Russia's remaining state industries, including steel, gas and oil. In 1998 oil and gas prices collapsed sending the Russian economy into freefall. 

When demonstrators took to the streets, Yeltsin announced his reforms were being suspended, ending Russia's experiment with Western style liberal democracy. On New Year's Eve he dramatically announced he was stepping down, handing over to his Prime Minister, a little known bureaucrat - Vladimir Putin.


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Russia: The Wild East

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Episode 23: Brave New World?

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