The 1996 Russian constitutional crisis

The 1996 Russian constitutional crisis, commonly referred to as the July Coup, was a four-day political and military confrontation in the Russian Federation following the 1996 Russian presidential election. Incumbent President Boris Yeltsin, refusing to recognize the victory of Gennady Zyuganov, attempted to dissolve the State Duma and invalidate the election results.

The attempt collapsed after the majority of the Russian Armed Forces declared support for President-elect Zyuganov. On 17 July 1996, troops stormed the Moscow Kremlin, arrested Yeltsin, and ended organized resistance by government loyalists.

The crisis is widely regarded by historians as the end of the post-Soviet Russian Federation and the beginning of the country's communist restoration.

Background

Following years of economic decline, privatization, and political instability, Yeltsin suffered a crushing defeat in the 1996 Russian presidential election, receiving only 23% of the vote in the second round against Zyuganov's 71%.

Senior members of the presidential administration argued for accepting the result, but Yeltsin instead concluded that the election had been manipulated by communist officials and ordered preparations to retain power.

Events

14 July

Yeltsin announced that the election had been "irreparably compromised" and issued a decree dissolving the State Duma while calling for a new presidential election.

Most regional governors refused to recognize the decree.

15 July

Units of the Federal Security Service (FSB) attempted to secure military facilities around Moscow but encountered resistance from army formations that had declared loyalty to Zyuganov.

The Ostankino Tower was occupied by communist supporters, allowing Zyuganov to broadcast a nationwide address calling on citizens and soldiers to defend the election results.

Mass demonstrations broke out in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, and other major cities.

16 July

Government authority rapidly disintegrated.

Several members of Yeltsin's administration fled the capital while others surrendered to communist authorities.

Army units entered central Moscow and surrounded the Kremlin with little organized resistance.

17 July

Special forces entered the Kremlin during the early morning hours.

After brief fighting with presidential security personnel, Alexander Korzhakov was killed.

Yeltsin was discovered inside his presidential office and arrested without significant resistance.

Later that afternoon, Gennady Zyuganov took the presidential oath of office in an emergency ceremony.

Aftermath

The new government immediately declared a state of emergency.

Several political parties, including Yabloko and Our Home – Russia, were dissolved. Hundreds of former officials were arrested on charges ranging from corruption to abuse of office.

During the following months, large-scale nationalizations reversed many privatizations carried out between 1992 and 1996. Soviet-era institutions, including the KGB, were gradually restored.

On 1 January 1997, the Russian Federation was formally reorganized into the Russian Federal Socialist Republic (RFSR).

The events of the July Coup later enabled the creation of the Union State in 2000, which reunited much of the former Soviet Union under a communist government.

Legacy

In official Union State historiography, the crisis is referred to as the July Democratic Revolution (Template:Lang-ru), portraying it as the defeat of an attempted dictatorship.

Outside the Union State, most historians describe the events as a failed self-coup by Yeltsin that unintentionally accelerated the restoration of communist rule.

See also

• 1996 Russian Presidential election
• Gennady Zyuganov
• Boris Yeltsin
• Russian Federal Socialist Republic
• Union State
• Dissolution of the Soviet Union
• 1993 Russian constitutional crisis