"Former Russian leader Yeltsin dead

Yeltsin died at the age of 76, the Kremlin said on Monday.

Yeltsin, who had suffered health problems since resigning from office on December 31, 1999, suffered sudden heart failure, medical sources told Russia's Interfax news agency.

The Kremlin said his funeral would take place amid a day of national mourning on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.

Yeltsin became the first democratically elected president of Russia in 1991 and two months later put down a coup attempt against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Russia's first freely elected president, Yeltsin is being remembered as a courageous fighter for democracy -- and sometimes quirky behavior."

Source: CNN

I suppose there are as many opinions as there are people about Yeltsin. There is however no denying what the man did during his career as president of Russia, both good things and bad. Lots of mistakes, as well as many brave acts.