On the Sept. 21, 1993 Yeltsin would dissolve the Supreme Soviet and the Congress of People's Deputies. Two days later, the constitutional court (think Supreme Court) ruled that Yeltsin violated the constitution, and could be impeached - and with a quorum congress voted to impeach Yeltsin. Additionally, congress voted to have simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections, which Yeltsin responded to by cutting off electricity, phone service, and hot water to the parliamentary (nicknamed the white house) building.

This culminated with tanks shelling the parliamentary building. Yeltsin would say this:

Those, who went against the peaceful city and unleashed bloody slaughter, are criminals. But this is not only a crime of individual bandits and pogrommakers. Everything that took place and is still taking place in Moscow is a pre-planned armed rebellion. It has been organized by Communist revanchists, Fascist leaders, a part of former deputies, the representatives of the Soviets. Under the cover of negotiations they gathered forces, recruited bandit troops of mercenaries, who were accustomed to murders and violence. A petty gang of politicians attempted by armed force to impose their will on the entire country. The means by which they wanted to govern Russia have been shown to the entire world. These are the cynical lie, bribery. These are cobblestones, sharpened iron rods, automatic weapons and machine guns. Those, who are waving red flags, again stained Russia with blood. They hoped for the unexpectedness, for the fact that their impudence and unprecedented cruelty will sow fear and confusion.

The parliament had many allies in the military, but did not pursue the allegiance of the NCOs, which was likely a major factor in the eventual victory of Yeltsin.

the kicker: Yeltsin was elected to the Supreme Soviet with 89% of the vote in 1989.

147 people would die.

  • longhorn617 [any]
    ·
    4 years ago

    Radio War Nerd just finished up a 4-episode series about Yeltsin's Coup. Haven't listened it it yet but I'm sure it's good.

    • emizeko [they/them]
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      edit-2
      4 years ago

      what does John Dolan do where he gets to constantly move around to obscure European locations, is he an academic?

      • evilgiraffemonkey [he/him]
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        edit-2
        4 years ago

        I think he relies solely on his patreon/writing earnings and his wife, who teaches. He teached too, for awhile, but often the schools would find his writings and then he would get in trouble/get fired (I believed this happened in East Timor, and maybe Saudi Arabia or Iraq too). A good read is him talking about being homeless in Victoria, Canada, after being fired from the university there, something he alleges was due to making fun of George Monbiot, lol

        Editor’s Note: Dr. Dolan would like to thank the English Department of the University of Victoria, British Columbia, “…for getting rid of me because I dared to teach first-year comp students to disagree with the sanctimonious Monbiot articles they were assigned to paraphrase, thus allowing me to experience the sensual extravaganza of extreme poverty.”

        • Mardoniush [she/her]
          ·
          4 years ago

          The one where his wife gets a job in East Timor, he writes a couple of fairly tame articles about Timorese independence, and the Australian Government goes insane and pushes Timor to eject them from the country is an especially good one.

        • KiaKaha [he/him]
          ·
          4 years ago

          I’m a little surprised. I figured Dolan would align with Monbiot on most things.