World

Yeltsin Released From Hospital

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

December 9, 1998 / 8:43 AM EST / CBS

Boris Yeltsin was released from the hospital Wednesday after more than two weeks of treatment for pneumonia, but the Russian leader was not expected to return to full-time duty in the Kremlin anytime soon.

Yeltsin moved to a secluded country residence, Rus, about 60 miles outside Moscow and planned to remain there for a "convalescence period," said his spokesman Dmitry Yakushkin.

Yeltsin has rarely been seen or heard since he was admitted to the Central Clinical Hospital on Nov. 22. He appeared in the Kremlin for three hours on Monday to fire several top aides and then returned to his hospital bed.

"Doctors are generally satisfied with the president's condition," Yakushkin told the Interfax news agency. Yeltsin will continue to receive "periodic checkups at the hospital," he added.

Yeltsin, 67, insists that he has no serious health problems, but after so many illnesses in recent years, few believe he will be able to maintain a normal working schedule.

Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, who is dealing with the country's economic turmoil, said Yeltsin can "perfectly perform" his duties and will "work until the end of his term" in 2000. His remarks were published Wednesday in the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper.

Primakov has handled many presidential duties in recent months and in Moscow, Wednesday, he called together his cabinet to discuss the 1999 budget and to hear complaints from Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev that his forces should receive more funds than envisaged in the draft.

Russia's military is severely demoralized and under-funded. Troop numbers are being cut to reflect post-Cold War realities and the aim is to revamp nuclear forces with fewer but better missiles.

After Wedensday's meeting, it was reported that the military did receive a slight boost in its budget allocation even though Primakov has said the budget will be austere in order to avoid hyperinflation.

The budget draft is expected to be considered by the full cabinet on Thursday before being handed to the State Duma lower house of parliament for approval.

Primakov was approved by Yeltsin and the Communist-dominated Duma as a compromise premier in September. He faces the difficult task of steering Russia out of financial crisis without further antagonizing millions of unpaid workers.

Yeltsin did not have any meetings planned Wednesday and there was no word on when he might return to the Kremlin.

Yeltsin has been a part-time president for months as his health has declined. He has said almost nothing about Russia's economic crisis, which hit four months ago, partly in response to Asia's economic travails.

The president's latest illness clearly demonstrated that he is not involved in the day-to-day running of the government, though he remains extremely sensitive to any suggestions that he's a lame duck, or that he won't serve out his term until the year 2000

The president's only major announcement during his illness was the dismissal of his aides, some of whom had commented on the president's health problems.

The country remains in a deep recession, with the economy expected to shrink about 5 percent this year and forecasts pointing toward a similar contraction, if not worse, next year.