This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6590243.stm

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Russia prepares to bury Yeltsin Russia bids farewell to Yeltsin
(about 2 hours later)
Mourners are gathering in the Russian capital, Moscow, for the state funeral of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin who died on Monday. The state funeral is taking place in Moscow of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin who died on Monday.
The ceremony will take place in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which was rebuilt under Mr Yeltsin after being demolished during Soviet rule. The ceremony is being held at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which was rebuilt under Mr Yeltsin after being demolished during Soviet rule.
His coffin was open for public viewing before the funeral. Wednesday has been declared a day of national mourning. Among those paying respects at his coffin were President Vladimir Putin and former president Mikhail Gorbachev.
He presided over huge changes and his legacy is controversial for some. Two former US presidents - Bill Clinton and George Bush Snr - were also attending the ceremony.
The first president of post-Soviet Russia, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin died from heart failure on Monday, aged 76. Mr Yeltsin was Russia's first elected president, leading it to independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
He will be buried in Moscow's Novodevichye cemetery alongside actors and writers, instead of being laid to rest on the Red Square like other former Soviet leaders. During his time in office, he presided over huge changes and his legacy remains controversial for some.
Four members of the Kremlin Guard have been keeping watch over the coffin.
STATE FUNERAL 0800 to 1230 Coffin open to public at Christ the Saviour cathedral1330 Religious service at cathedralAbout 1430 Cortege carries coffin to Novodevichy cemeteryAfter 1500 Burial ceremony All Moscow time (GMT+4) Mixed verdict on Yeltsin Obituary of Yeltsin Send us your commentsSTATE FUNERAL 0800 to 1230 Coffin open to public at Christ the Saviour cathedral1330 Religious service at cathedralAbout 1430 Cortege carries coffin to Novodevichy cemeteryAfter 1500 Burial ceremony All Moscow time (GMT+4) Mixed verdict on Yeltsin Obituary of Yeltsin Send us your comments
The list of dignitaries flying to Moscow for the ceremony includes contemporary leaders like former US President Bill Clinton and his predecessor George Bush Snr, ex-British Prime Minister John Major, and former Polish President Lech Walesa. Wednesday has been declared a day of national mourning.
Also there will be his rival and predecessor as head of state, Mikhail Gorbachev, and his successor, Vladimir Putin. The first president of post-Soviet Russia, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin died from heart failure on Monday, aged 76.
He will later be buried in Moscow's Novodevichy cemetery alongside actors and writers, instead of being laid to rest on the Red Square like other former Soviet leaders.
Russians give their views on Yeltsin and his legacyIn pictures
The symbolism surrounding Mr Yeltsin's death has been deliberately unlike that of past Soviet leaders, says the BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow.The symbolism surrounding Mr Yeltsin's death has been deliberately unlike that of past Soviet leaders, says the BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow.
His body has been laid out in the city's main cathedral, a grand building of marble and gold domes, where white-robed Orthodox priests have chanted prayers and burned incense.His body has been laid out in the city's main cathedral, a grand building of marble and gold domes, where white-robed Orthodox priests have chanted prayers and burned incense.
Russians give their views on Yeltsin and his legacyIn pictures
The original church was blown up by the Soviets and the site used for a swimming pool.The original church was blown up by the Soviets and the site used for a swimming pool.
Mr Yeltsin's funeral is the first for a head of state sanctioned by the Church since Tsar Alexander III's in 1894. Mr Yeltsin's funeral is the first for a head of state sanctioned by the Church since Tsar Alexander III's in 1894. "By his strength, he helped the restoration of the proper role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the life of the country and its people," said Church spokesman Metropolitan Kirill.
"By his strength, he helped the restoration of the proper role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the life of the country and its people," said Church spokesman Metropolitan Kirill.
'One great achievement''One great achievement'
In the cathedral on Tuesday, Mr Yeltsin's widow, Naina, dressed in black, wept quietly.In the cathedral on Tuesday, Mr Yeltsin's widow, Naina, dressed in black, wept quietly.
YELTSIN KEY DATES July 1990: Resigns from Communist PartyJune 1991: Elected president of Russian republic (in USSR)August 1991: Rallies citizens against anti-Gorbachev coup, bans Russian Communist partyDecember 1991: Takes over from Mikhail Gorbachev as head of state1992: Lifts price controls, launches privatisationOctober 1993: Russia on brink of civil war, Yeltsin orders tanks to fire at parliamentDecember 1994: Sends tanks into ChechnyaJune 1996: Re-elected as Russian president, suffers heart attack during campaign1998: Financial crisis, rouble loses 75% of its valueDecember 1999: Resigns, appoints Vladimir Putin successor In quotes: Reaction to death In pictures: Russians mourn Thousands of members of the public - some weeping and clutching flowers - queued to pay their respects.YELTSIN KEY DATES July 1990: Resigns from Communist PartyJune 1991: Elected president of Russian republic (in USSR)August 1991: Rallies citizens against anti-Gorbachev coup, bans Russian Communist partyDecember 1991: Takes over from Mikhail Gorbachev as head of state1992: Lifts price controls, launches privatisationOctober 1993: Russia on brink of civil war, Yeltsin orders tanks to fire at parliamentDecember 1994: Sends tanks into ChechnyaJune 1996: Re-elected as Russian president, suffers heart attack during campaign1998: Financial crisis, rouble loses 75% of its valueDecember 1999: Resigns, appoints Vladimir Putin successor In quotes: Reaction to death In pictures: Russians mourn Thousands of members of the public - some weeping and clutching flowers - queued to pay their respects.
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, who was at the cathedral, says the mood was sombre, not least because the former president's legacy is controversial in today's Russia.The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, who was at the cathedral, says the mood was sombre, not least because the former president's legacy is controversial in today's Russia.
"There are good and bad things about him, but he will remain in history for his one great achievement: he buried communism," said mourner Alexander Bolshakov, a 44-year-old teacher."There are good and bad things about him, but he will remain in history for his one great achievement: he buried communism," said mourner Alexander Bolshakov, a 44-year-old teacher.
However Igor Smirnov, 30, a physicist who was passing the cathedral, had his own memories.However Igor Smirnov, 30, a physicist who was passing the cathedral, had his own memories.
"They say he gave people freedom, but that is just not so," he said. "He gave freedom to steal, he gave freedom to anarchy, freedom to lawlessness.""They say he gave people freedom, but that is just not so," he said. "He gave freedom to steal, he gave freedom to anarchy, freedom to lawlessness."
But Yelena, a devotee, said Mr Yeltsin's only mistake was "the choice of his successor".But Yelena, a devotee, said Mr Yeltsin's only mistake was "the choice of his successor".
Some critics say the democracy established under Mr Yeltsin has been curtailed by President Putin.Some critics say the democracy established under Mr Yeltsin has been curtailed by President Putin.