![Vladimir Putin: The roots of his dictatorship didn't start with Boris Yeltsin's crackdown on Russia's parliament. There's a much deeper history. Vladimir Putin: The roots of his dictatorship didn't start with Boris Yeltsin's crackdown on Russia's parliament. There's a much deeper history.](https://compote.slate.com/images/6863687d-9493-40a3-8fb6-b20c87fe3448.jpeg?crop=1560%2C1040%2Cx0%2Cy0&width=1200)
Vladimir Putin: The roots of his dictatorship didn't start with Boris Yeltsin's crackdown on Russia's parliament. There's a much deeper history.
![Yeltsin Shelled Russian Parliament 25 Years Ago, U.S. Praised “Superb Handling” | National Security Archive Yeltsin Shelled Russian Parliament 25 Years Ago, U.S. Praised “Superb Handling” | National Security Archive](https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/0d48278de5234404d068c8b30386f9d5.jpg)
Yeltsin Shelled Russian Parliament 25 Years Ago, U.S. Praised “Superb Handling” | National Security Archive
![Yeltsin Shelled Russian Parliament 25 Years Ago, U.S. Praised “Superb Handling” | National Security Archive Yeltsin Shelled Russian Parliament 25 Years Ago, U.S. Praised “Superb Handling” | National Security Archive](https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/wx1080.jpg)
Yeltsin Shelled Russian Parliament 25 Years Ago, U.S. Praised “Superb Handling” | National Security Archive
![Carl Bildt on X: "That was history and heroism! Boris Yeltsin, on top of a tank, defying the anti-reform coup in Moscow 25 years ago. https://t.co/dMmPGmNxCy" / X Carl Bildt on X: "That was history and heroism! Boris Yeltsin, on top of a tank, defying the anti-reform coup in Moscow 25 years ago. https://t.co/dMmPGmNxCy" / X](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CqSOQJwXgAATAZ0.jpg)