PHOTO: YURY FEKLISTOV/EAST NEWS 01.02.2003, MOSKWA, ROSJA. URODZINY BORYSA JELCYNA

PHOTO: YURY FEKLISTOV/EAST NEWS 01.02.2003, MOSKWA, ROSJA. BORYS JELCYN Z ZONA NAINA PRZYJMUJA W PODMOSKIEWSKIEJ REZYDENCJI PATRIARCHE ALEKSIEJA II JELTZIN AND HIS WIFE VISITED BY ALEKSIEY THE SECOND, RUSSIA'S PATRIARCH

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP portrait de l'ancien pr??sident russe Boris Eltsine pris le 27 septembre 2002 dans la cour du Palais de l'Elys??e ?. Paris, aprA?s un d??jeuner avec le pr??sident Jacques Chirac. AFP PHOTO PATRICK KOVARIK

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP portrait de l'ancien pr??sident russe Boris Eltsine pris le 27 septembre 2002 dans la cour du Palais de l'Elys??e ?. Paris, aprA?s un d??jeuner avec le pr??sident Jacques Chirac. AFP PHOTO PATRICK KOVARIK

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO portrait de l'ancien pr??sident russe Boris Eltsine pris le 27 septembre 2002 dans la cour du Palais de l'Elys??e ?. Paris, aprA?s un d??jeuner avec le pr??sident Jacques Chirac. AFP PHOTO PATRICK KOVARIK

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin (L) chats with his successor Vladimir Putin (R) during the reception in Kremlin devoted to Russia's Constitution Day celebrations, Wednesday 12 December, 2001. AFP PHOTO/ITAR-TASS POOL

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP le pr??sident de la R??publique Jacques Chirac (D) serre la main de Boris Elstine, ancien pr??sident de la F??d??ration de Russie, le 03 juillet 2001 ?. Samara, dans le cadre de la visite officielle du chef de l'Etat fran??ais en Russie. AFP PHOTO. GEORGES GOBET.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) chats with the first President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin (L), during the State reception in Kremlin, devoted to the Day of Declaration of Sovereignty in Moscow, 12 June 2001. Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on awarding Boris Yeltsin with the order "For Services to the Fatherland" of first degree. AFP PHOTO ITAR-TASS POOL

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with ex-President Boris Yeltsin during their meeting in the Kremlin 31 December 2000. Boris Yeltsin unexpectedly left the presidency one year ago to the then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. AFP PHOTO EPA/ITAR-TASS POOL

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS BYLY PREZYDENT ROSJI- BORYS JELCYN NA PLACU CZERWONYM W MOSKWIE Ex-president Boris Yeltsin waves during a parade on Red Square, in Moscow, Tuesday, May 9, 2000.

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS BYLY PREZYDENT ROSJI- BORYS JELCYN NA PLACU CZERWONYM W MOSKWIE PODCZAS PARADY W ROCZNICE ZAKONCZENIA II WOJNY SWIATOWEJ Ex-president Boris Yeltsin looks on during a parade of veterans and soldiers held to mark Victory Day May 9, 2000 in Moscow's Red Square. Newly inaugurated President Putin led Russia in celebrating the 55th anniversary of World War Two, stating the country now had to defend democracy and freedom.

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS BYLY PREZYDENT ROSJI- BORYS JELCYN NA PLACU CZERWONYM W MOSKWIE PODCZAS PARADY W ROCZNICE ZAKONCZENIA II WOJNY SWIATOWEJ Ex-president Boris Yeltsin looks on during a parade of veterans and soldiers held to mark Victory Day May 9, 2000 in Moscow's Red Square. Newly inaugurated President Putin led Russia in celebrating the 55th anniversary of World War Two, stating the country now had to defend democracy and freedom.

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS ROSYJSKI EX PREZYDENT -BORYS JELCYN PODCZAS PARADY NA PLACU CZERWONYM W MOSKWIE.PLAC CZERWONY JEST MIEJSCEM GLOWNYCH OBCHODOW 55 ROCZNICY RADZIECKIEJ OBRONY PRZED NIEMCAMI RussianEx- PresidentBoris Eltsine during the parade on Red Square, in Moscow, Tuesday, May 9, 2000. Fresh-faced cadets joined grizzled, bemedalled World War II veterans in a lavish parade Tuesday on Red Square as Russia marked the 55th anniversary of the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany.

PHOTO: WOJTEK LASKI / EAST NEWS EX PREZYDENT ROSJI - BORYS JELCYN PODCZAS PARADY NA PLACU CZERWONYM Ex president of Russia Boris Yeltsin during a parade on Red Square, in Moscow, Tuesday, May 9, 2000.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin (R) and Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat (L) walk together during their meeting in Bethlehem, Thursday 06 January 2000. Boris Yeltsin will attend the celebration of the Orthodox Christmas. ELECTRONIC IMAGE

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin drinks at a ceremony during which he was awarded the order of the Chevalier of the Holy Sepulchre at the Greek Orthodox patriarchate in Jerusalem's Old City 06 January 2000. Yeltsin, along with several heads of state from other eastern European nations, are in the Holy Land to attend Orthodox Christmas celebrations.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Russian President Boris Yeltsin makes a TV speech announcing his resignation, 31 December, 1999. Boris Yeltsin announced his resignation and Vladimir Putin, according to the constitution, will be acting President until the elections end of March 2000.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Russian President Boris Yeltsin wipes his forehead as his listens to the translation during opening of the summit of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Istanbul on Thursday 18 November, 1999. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Russian President Boris Yeltsin holds his glasses before a TV address in Moscow 09 August, 1999. Yeltsin sacked his third government in a year, replacing his loyalist premier with the head of Russia's security service, as he kicked off what is expected to be a bruising campaign for the legislative elections. The premier minister-designate, Vladimir Putin, replacing Sergei Stepashin, was appointed head of Russia's Federal Security Services, the main Russian successor to the Soviet-era KGB, last July.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/WOJTEK LASKI Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his wife Naina, right, and Father Georgy put up candles during their visit to a church to mark Holy Orthodox Easter on Sunday, April 11, 1999. Yeltsin visited the 17-th century church of Archangel Michael with his wife