We knew Boris Nikolayevich as a brave and a warm-hearted, spiritual person. He was an upstanding and courageous national leader. And he was always very honest and frank while defending his position, Vladimir Putin declared in his address on the occasion of Yeltsin’s passing.
Boris Yeltsin assumed full responsibility for everything he called for, for everything he aspired to. For everything he tried to do and did do for the sake of Russia, for the sake of millions of Russians. And he invariably took upon himself, let it in his heart, all the trials and tribulations of Russia, peoples’ difficulties and problems.
Vladimir Putin expressed his most sincere and profound condolences to Naina Iosifovna and to Boris Nikolayevich’s friends and relatives.
The memory of Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin, his noble thoughts and his words “take care of Russia” will always act as our moral and political watchwords, Vladimir Putin said.
The Russian President declared 25 April 2007 a day of national mourning.