Boris Yeltsin, B.N. in Russia we called him, was a simbol of hole epoch and now it's the end of this time. It's really pity about his family. The death is always pity. All world leading mass media exept French of course write about the death of B.N. in the first news today.

Kora, St Petersburg , Russia

The turmoil of modern Russia can in part be attributed to the disastrous stewardship of Boris Yeltsin, and his bungling of the transition from communist totalitarianism to a free-market democracy. By 1996 he had squandered the nation's wealth by selling off Russia's mineral resources and media interests (at a fraction of their true values) to the oligarchs, in order to keep the old communists out of the picture. In return he was amply funded for the 96 election campaign. He was a remarkable politician, but a disastrous statesman. The nuts and bolts of running and maintaining the Russian government, civil service, military, economy etc., were left in the hands of the Gods, and inevitably the rouble collapsed and millions of lives were ruined. He did the right thing by stepping down when he did, but the damage was already done. Todays Russia is run by a quasi-dictator with a rubber stamp parliament, croney-capitalism is the order of the day, and corruption devours all in its path! R.I.P.

shay culligan, boston, usa/ma

Russian Federation lost its seasoned leader.

Leaders like Borris Yeltsin are not the leader of the Russia iteself, but the leaders of this continent and the world. His loss is a loss to the World Communism. I am shocked and may God of almighty gave him a berth at heaven and peace to his family and dear ones including the followers world wide.

PRASANTA VARMA, New Delhi, India

Would anyone who wishes to sing the praises of Putin please go and do so in Russia, where it is mandatory anyway?

Svetlana, Geneva,

I have to agree with Ruden - at times incoherent through drink, corrupt to the core and having led his country back into the darkness when light beckoned, Yeltsin is still seen as a force of change. He will be sorely missed, but then this is a country that would gladly destroy Gorbachev and he is a truly great man.

Mike, Moscow, Russian Federation,

Yeltsin was not just bad for Russia - the destruction of the USSR was a disaster for the rest of us.

Who'd ever heard of Bin Laden before the Russian boot was lifted? Who would have dreamed that Britain could one day be flooded by mass immigration from eastern europe? Who'd have thought that the Russian nuclear arsenal would be for sale to islamic terrorist nutcases?

The cold war seems so cosy in retrospect.

jane b, london, england

Well, he sold all russian assets to oligarchs for very bargain prices. If wasn't Yeltsin, England wouldn't have now Chelsey and Abramovich....And Beresovsky

Alex, Worthing,

I sincerely doubt Mr Boris Yeltsin graduate from High School in 1995, in the name of respect please proof-read articles.

Catrina, london, England, UK.

President Putin bringing our hopes in to life!

Aleksandr Kotov, Tallinn, Estonia

Here in Ireland Boris is best remembered for the 'summit' which never happened. Returning from North America he was scheduled to hold a meeting with the Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Albert Reynolds at Shannon airport but when his plane landed there was no sign of Boris. Eventually a story was put out that he was unwell and the plane took off for Moscow. Nobody in Ireland was in any doubt however that he was out for the count from drink.

Michael Coyle, Dublin, ireland

I'm from Russia. And for my country this person was a real symbol. No matter good or bad... He was a symbol of a change, of new epoch for Russia. His dead is a tragedy for all Russians )));

Ruden, St.Peterburg, Russian Federation

Was it poison?

Steve, Gladstone, MO

He was the worst thing to happen to Russia since Lenin.

C Heathcote, Tonbridge,

Boris Yeltsin was quite a guy

He enjoyed good life and fine wine

A man for revolution and democratization

A controversial figure during the transition

Sadly he picked president Putin his substitution

Mistakenly he thought they shared the same conviction

Wing, Poole, UK