The Ides of August

MOSCOW: For many Russians, August is a month for their dachas. But it is also a month with a developing tradition as a time to change the country. August 1991 was such a time because of the attempted coup against my government. That coup attempt failed, but Russia was changed forever. This August we are also engaged (more quietly) in re-examining executive power in Russia, and also in an ongoing effort to correct many of the changes made by President Yeltsin in the wake of August, 1991.