Russians Commemorate Victims of Anti-Yeltsin Protests of 1993

On October 3, 4 and 5, marches were held in several Russian cities commemorating the victims of anti-Boris Yeltsin protests in October 1993. Marches were organized by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) and the Left Front in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk, Yakutia, Penza etc. As many as 187 people were killed during the protests that followed the Russian constitutional crisis of 1993.

According to reports, more than 5,000 people gathered in Moscow for the event. They shouted slogans, including “Power has been illegitimate since 1993!”, “Putin has continued the Yeltsin’s work!”, “We will not forget the heroes, we will not forgive the executioners!”, “We need people’s power!”, “The enemies of Russia are in the Kremlin!”

The constitutional crisis of 1993 was caused by the political stand-off between president Boris Yeltsin and the Russian parliament. The struggle reached its peak on September 21 when Yeltsin issued a decree dissolving the country’s legislature (the Congress of People’s Deputies and its Supreme Soviet). The deputies said the president had no rights according to the constitution to dissolve the legislature. Declaring his decision null and void, they impeached Yeltsin. Following this, the supporters of the Supreme Soviet and the legislature marched to parliament on October 3. On Yeltsin’s orders, the Russian military violently confronted the pro-legislature protesters on October 4, leading to the death of 187 people and injures to 437.

KPRF leader Gennady Zyuganov addressed the gathering in Moscow on October 4 and said, “Those who gave the order to shoot to kill were well aware that they were killing the defenders of Soviet power, the most courageous and worthy”.

“Eternal memory to the fallen Heroes, our deep respect! We must continue the work of the great Soviet country. Our party and the People’s Patriotic Forces swore this” he added.