He won international acclaim as a defender of democracy when in August 1991 he mounted a tank in Moscow, rallying the people against an attempt to overthrow Mr Gorbachev’s era of glasnost and perestroika.

Sure – let’s not mention the fact that he had tanks fire on the Russian parliament when deputies occupied it in protest at the “shock therapy” policies foisted onto Russia by the IMF and agreed to by Yeltsin. Let’s not mention the fact that Yeltsin suspended democracy and restored it only in neutered form and took many of the steps that would lead to Vladimir Putin being able to totally emasculate what was left of it when he finally came to office. No, let’s remember dear, old, drunken Boris as a loveable buffoon and champion of the people.

мусор!