Yeltsin in hospital with pneumonia
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, was taken to hospital yesterday with the first signs of pneumonia, raising new fears about his health two months after serious heart surgery.
The Kremlin said that the doctors who examined Mr Yeltsin had ordered the 65-year-old president back to the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow where he recuperated after his quintuple by-pass on 5 November last year.
The president, who had been looking pale and tired, had already cancelled all appointments since Monday because of what the Kremlin said was a heavy cold. Doctors said the cold was not related to the operation and did not threaten his heart.
"Doctors have stated that the first signs of pneumonia developing have appeared," a Kremlin statement said. "In connection with this ... a decision has been taken to take him to the Central Clinical Hospital for several days."
His spokesman at first said he had a cold, but later upgraded it to flu - a bug which is sweeping Moscow.
The pioneering American heart surgeon Michael DeBakey, who advised the Russian doctors who operated on Mr Yeltsin, said he expected the president to make a quick recovery.
But a return to his sickbed only a fortnight after returning to work at the Kremlin is a serious blow to Mr Yeltsin, and opens the way to feuding among his would-be successors such as bedevilled the period running up to his by-pass.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments