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'I am ready for the fight'
Healthier Yeltsin returns to work
December 23, 1996
Web posted at: 12:45 p.m. EST (1745 GMT)
MOSCOW (CNN) -- With little pomp and no ceremony, Russian President Boris Yeltsin returned to the Kremlin for the first time since his November 5 quintuple heart bypass surgery.
"I'm in a good mood," he said upon his arrival. "I feel well, and in general, I am ready for the fight."
Speaking briefly with reporters, he repeated themes similar to those he made in a televised address on Friday, pledging to tackle problems with late wage payment, tax shortfalls, and military reform.
His political rival, Gennady Zyuganov, said Yeltsin was in no condition to run the country, healthy or not.
"Even when he was healthy and sober he couldn't come up with an answer to any of the issues facing Russia," said the communist leader, who lost the vote for president to Yeltsin on July 3.
Yeltsin's doctors say he is ready for full-time duty, but it remains to be seen if he will be able to turn around a sagging public opinion of his performance.
Yeltsin met with his chief of staff, Anatoly Chubais, on Monday and was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin on Tuesday. He also planned meetings Monday with tax and defense and security officials.
Some analysts expected the president to look for a scapegoat for the country's problems. But others said the problems in Russia needed more than cosmetic changes.
"There are lots of rumors," said Michael McFaul of the Carnegie Foundation. "What he really needs to do is fundamentally change his government. ... There's a lot of stagnation. ... I'm not so optimistic Yeltsin's going to do that."
But the 65-year-old president appeared more prepared for the job than he has in nearly six months. Two mild heart attacks sidelined him just days before the July 3 election, and he has made only brief public appearances since.
But on Monday, arriving at the Kremlin, the president stepped unaided from his limousine. He was thinner, but without the halting steps he'd had in previous appearances.
Yelstin's doctors said he could probably put in another 10 years on the job.
Correspondent Betsy Aaron and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Yeltsin goes back to work on Monday - December 20, 1996
- Yeltsin pleased with rapid passage of Russian budget - December 15, 1996
- Yeltsin meets with chief of staff - November 29, 1996
- Yeltsin, Russian economy, both trying to recover - November 22, 1996
- Yeltsin lively after surgery, doctors say - November 17, 1996
- Russian politics, economy riding on outcome of Yeltsin surgery - November 4, 1996
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