Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Official website of the State –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On December 31, Russian President Boris Yeltsin announced the early termination of his powers.
A balanced decision
The next presidential elections were scheduled to take place on July 9, 2000, after the end of Boris Yeltsin's second presidential term.
Back in the summer of 1999, Russia's first President introduced his successor, Vladimir Putin, who had been appointed Prime Minister at the time, to the nation. In his memoirs, Boris Nikolayevich wrote that on December 14, 1999, he informed Vladimir Putin of his decision to step down early as President and his desire for Putin to lead the country.
New Year's surprise
At precisely noon on December 31, Boris Yeltsin's address was broadcast on television, announcing his resignation, emphasizing that it was not related to his health and that he saw no point in holding on to power for another six months. Many were also touched by the fact that the President apologized to those whose expectations he had not met. Incidentally, according to the signed documents, Boris Yeltsin's presidential term ended at 12:00 PM.
Since not everyone watched daytime television in the pre-New Year rush, the traditional New Year's greeting from Acting President Vladimir Putin came as a surprise to some parts of the country.
The country's new leader thanked Boris Yeltsin for his contribution to the country's development, announced the upcoming early elections, warned that "any attempts to go beyond the bounds of Russian laws, beyond the bounds of the Russian Constitution, will be decisively suppressed," and emphasized that "the state has stood and will continue to stand guard over the security of every one of our people."
The Mandela Effect
Incidentally, Boris Nikolayevich never uttered the famous phrase, "I'm tired. I'm leaving." His speech instead included the words, "I'm leaving. I've done all I could." There are several theories as to why most Russians misremembered the speech. Some say Boris Nikolayevich looked tired in the recording, which may have been the result of associative thinking. Others claim there were two recordings of the address, and the one containing the phrase has not survived. Still others are convinced that the altered version of the President's farewell remarks became popular due to numerous jokes by the KVN (KVN) members.
More details about how our own memories can deceive us are discussed in an article dedicated to the Mandela effect.
Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: December 31, 2025.
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