Boris Yeltsin dead

Russia's first elected president is dead at 76. He came to power at one of the most desperate time in history when one miss step could have ended the world. He made the tough transition to freedom for the long repressed Russian people a much more peaceful endeavor than most thought possible. This was no small feat and nothing can take away from his efforts. At some point his drinking became a problem and the nation suffered as in his weakened state he allowed corruption to take root and he became entangled with it.