Yeltsin resigns, Putin takes over

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, DEC. 31. In a bombshell decision, Russia's President, Mr. Boris Yeltsin, resigned today, six months ahead of his Constitutional term, appointing the Prime Minister, Mr. Vladimir Putin, as Acting President and urging Russians to vote for him in early presidential elections.

``Today, on the last day of outgoing century, I am resigning,'' Mr. Yeltsin said in a televised address to the nation. The Kremlin press service said Mr. Yeltsin had signed the resignation decree, effective 12-00 Moscow time on Dec. 31, in the presence of the Russian Patriarch, who blessed Mr. Putin to take over the reigns of power.

Mr. Putin also assumed Mr. Yeltsin's duties as Commander-In- Chief of the armed forces and received the so-called ``nuclear briefcase, with codes controlling the country's nuclear arsenal.

The Russian Constitution requires snap elections to be held within 90 days of the President's resignation, and news agencies said Mr. Yeltsin set the elections for March 26, the last Sunday before the deadline.

Looking pale and tired, Mr. Yeltsin said the decision to resign came to him after ``long and painful thoughts.''

``I realised that I must do it, Russia must enter the new millennium with new politicians, new faces, new wise, strong, vigorous leaders,'' Mr. Yeltsin said.

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