Russian Crisis: From power struggle to state of siege

(First Edition)

Events that led to the fighting in Moscow:

September 21 - President Boris Yeltsin announces he is disbanding parliament and calls new elections for December. Hardline MPs meet in emergency session at the parliament building and vote to impeach Mr Yeltsin and appoint the Vice-President, Alexander Rutskoi, as president. Anti-Yeltsin demonstrators throw up barricades around the building.

September 22 - Armed forces and police back Mr Yeltsin. Crowds in Moscow cheer the President. MPs' calls for a national strike go unheeded.

September 23 - Gunmen, who authorities say are from a right-wing officers' group, try to storm a military command post, killing two people. Mr Yeltsin announces early presidential elections for June, six months after parliamentary ones.

September 24 - Mr Yeltsin orders parliament's volunteer defenders to be disarmed.

September 25 - Mr Yeltsin says his opponents are on their 'last gasp' and that he will not use violence to end the stand-off.

September 26 - In the biggest demonstrations of Mr Yeltsin's popular support, thousands cheer him at a concert on Red Square.

September 27 - Mr Yeltsin rejects proposals for simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections.

September 28 - Hardline protesters clash with riot police. An officer is killed.

September 29 - Yeltsin gives MPs until today to leave parliament or face 'serious consequences'.

September 30 - Both sides agree to talks mediated by the Russian Orthodox Church.

October 1 - The talks end inconclusively and MPs reject a proposal to surrender their arms in return for having the blockade on parliament lifted.

October 2 - Hundreds of hardliners fight police in central Moscow and set up burning barricades.

October 3 - Pro-parliament demonstrators overwhelm riot police, lifting the siege of the parliament building and seizing key government facilities in fierce street-fighting. Yeltsin declares a state of emergency in Moscow.