Secrets of the shooting of the White House

15 years ago, on October 4, 1993, the Russian parliament was dispersed with tanks and special forces
[video and audio]

Victor Baranets and Alexander Gamov

OCT 3 2008

Then, in Moscow , a civil war almost started, caused by a political war between President Yeltsin and
the Supreme Soviet. Her tragic point was the shooting of the parliament building (the White House).
Who ordered and who shot the "White House"? What is the role of the West in those events? And what
they eventually turned to the country?

FROM THE HISTORY

Politicians fought, and ordinary people died. 150 people

The political feuds between President Yeltsin and the Supreme Soviet, headed by Khasbulatov, lasted
the whole of 1993. At that time, the Kremlin was working on a new constitution, as the old, in the
opinion of the president, was hindering reforms. The new Constitution gave the president great rights
and nullified the rights of parliament.
The Charter on butting with the deputies. On September 21, 1993, Yeltsin signed Decree No. 1400 on
the termination of the activities of the Supreme Soviet. The deputies refused to comply, declaring that
Yeltsin had committed a "coup d'état", that his powers were terminated and were transferred to the
vice-president Rutsky.

Interview with Gennady Zaitsev (commander of Alpha 1977 - 1995)

Riot police blocked the "White House", where the parliament met. They disconnected the connection,
electricity, water. Supporters of the Supreme Council built barricades, and on September 3, they began
clashes with riot police, 7 protesters were killed, dozens were injured.
Yeltsin introduced a state of emergency in Moscow. And Rutskoi urged to seize the Ostankino
television center in order to gain access to the air. When capturing "Ostankino" killed dozens of people.
On the night of October 4, Yeltsin ordered the storming of the White House. In the morning the
building was shelled. Only October 3 - 4, 150 people died, four hundred injured. Khasbulatov and
Rutskoi were arrested and sent to Lefortovo .
FIRST-HAND
Ruslan KHASBULATOV, Chairman of the Supreme Council in 1993:
“Kohl persuaded Clinton to help Yeltsin destroy the parliament”
- Ruslan Imranovich, after 15 years, how do you see the story of October 1993?
- The greatest tragedy that has turned the vector of development of Russia . Only received freedom -
and tank shooting of parliament. In October 1993, democracy was shot in Russia. Since then, this
concept has been discredited in Russia, and people are allergic to it. The shooting of the Supreme
Council led to autocratic thinking in the country.
- So, if it were not for the bloody October of the 93rd, could Russia be different?
– Parliament would not allow many destructive reforms, the formation in the 90s of the satellite,
completely subordinate to the West "nedogosudarstva." What now blame the US and Europe ,
who swear that Russia has bucked? After all, they had become accustomed to the Yeltsin
decade, that Russia is a humble petitioner, implicitly fulfilling any hint. And then Putin and
Medvedev unfold in a new way. I personally saw the transcript of the conversation of Helmut
Kohl (at that time the German Chancellor - Ed.) And Clinton . Kohl assured the US president
that the Russian parliament is preventing Yeltsin from interfering with Yeltsin’s complete
mutual understanding - “he unquestioningly fulfills all our requests.” But his parliament is
"nationalistic." (Notice, not even a communist one.) We must help Yeltsin to get rid of the
nationalists. Clinton agreed. West pushed Yeltsin to violence and helped him to commit it.

INDICATIONS ARROW
Tank Officer:
"Our company was promised a bag of money"
"Komsomolskaya Pravda" tracked down the former tankman, who shot at parliament
Formerly in 1993, the platoon commander of the Kantemirovskaya tank division agreed to answer my
questions, provided that his name was changed. Asked to call himself Andrei Orenburg.
- Andrei, why did you leave the army?
- Anyone who performed the task at the White House, after 93rd, lived uncomfortably in a military
town. The officers who clearly kept membership cards called us "traitors" and "murderers." Then there
were leaflets on the walls - with a death sentence and a list of our names. At night and throwing stones
at the windows ... I had to ask in other districts. But there goofy rumor went. Moreover, in the personal
file of each, thanks were written from Yeltsin. And the date is the same for everyone - October ... And
the fool is clear ...
- How did your trip begin?
– In October, our company arrived from the state farm - helped to harvest. The foreman led the
soldiers to the bathhouse, and the officers went home. I climbed into the shower, soaped, and
then my wife through the door shouted: “Alarm!” I, of course, mother peremat, but the propeller
in the regiment. And there - the fuss is serious. The commander of our company, Grishin , said
that in Moscow there was a mess, people would be buzzing, we would restore order. I still
remember, I asked: what is the army, if there is a police? Grishin said: "They are no longer
enough ..."
- How were you going?
- We crawled out onto Minsk highway and along the side of the road, we felt sorry for the asphalt.
Some Volga began to slow us down. In the headphones commander wild mate - mechanics: "Do not
stop! Push her to hell! Or throw in the ditch! "
“Volga” still stopped us. Grishin was shouting something in the ear of the Volzhanka peasant. Then - in
the tank, and went on. And Grishin shouts to me: “This man said:“ Son, get a bag of money, just save
Yeltsin from enemies! ”
Imaginary bag of money inspired. Early in the morning we came to Kutuz at the Ukraine Hotel. The
White House already had two of our tanks. Then came two more.
- What ammunition did you have?
- Various. And there were educational blanks, and cumulative ... That's when I realized that it smells
like kerosene. And there were after all also cartridges for machine guns ... Colonel General Kondratyev
approached. Said, "If someone is afraid, he can leave." Nobody left. I was hoping that maybe I wouldn't
have to shoot ...
- Did you understand what was going on?
“Grishin told me that our task is to“ demonstrate strength. ” About scorching seriously, there was no
talk at first.
- What else do you remember on the bridge?
- People broke through to us, but they were not allowed by the riot police. They were waving deputy
ksivami. They shouted: "Guys, family, do not shoot!" ... Then the tank was ordered to go to the middle
of the bridge. They deployed the cannons in the direction of the White House. So they stood. And
suddenly Grishin’s voice in the headphones: “Prepare for the opening of fire!” ... Then the order is to
hit the central entrance. In the middle.
- What kind of projectile?
– The first shot - a pig. From the excitement took the sight low. The pig ricocheted and went to
the side ... The second - there too. Hands were shaking. Grishin kosteril me, ordered to get out
from behind the sight. He sat down at my place. And - on the fifth floor. Just hit the window.
It was disgusting at heart! People are there. And the building is beautiful ... After all, the Russians shot
at the Russians ... When it was all over, I wanted to get drunk on vodka and fall asleep ...
- And what happened next?
- We threw on Khodynka . Well fed and even gave vodka - an unprecedented case! And then there was
an order to submit submissions for awarding the distinguished.
- You also introduced?
- Yes. To the medal. “For exemplary execution of the Russian parliament” (laughs). But seriously, they
gave 200 rubles "premium". But they promised “a bag of money” ...
Victor Baranetz
WOMAN AND DUMA
Gennady BURBULIS, at the beginning of the 90s, Russian State Secretary, Yeltsin's ally: "The
Kremlin was in a coma"
– I remember, on the evening of October 3, Filatov called me (the head of the Yeltsin
administration. - Auth.): “We must do something.” I got into the car and drove around the
frighteningly empty Moscow. It was a terrible silence. I drove into the 14th Corps of the
Kremlin. Extinct building. Nobody walks along the corridors. All - emptiness. It is impossible
to imagine that such a state is possible in the heart of a huge country, in the brain of its power. I
think the state in which the Kremlin was in was a coma, paralysis. But the White House was in
the same condition. It was impossible to allow this state to last even an hour, not to mention the
day.
- Did Yeltsin personally order the use of force?
- Who else could give? When the decision by Yeltsin was made, agreement began between the security
forces on further actions.
- Was there someone who spoke out strongly against the shooting?
- Never such decisions are made with glee. But there are situations when avoiding a choice is an even
greater shame. The country was on the verge of civil war. In the midst of such events are always
adventurers, thirsting for distemper, blood. I believe that both parties are equally responsible - both
Yeltsin’s supporters and Khasbulatov’s supporters. Both sides persisted, and the people suffered.
- What did this tragedy teach Russia?
- The shooting of parliament is historically always a tragedy. But October 1993 led to the adoption of a
new Constitution. She proclaimed that the person, his rights and freedoms are the highest value, and
became the pillar of the country for the coming decades. This is such an amazing historical logic.
October 1993 is a payment for the prospects we have today.
WHAT WAS IT
Alexander Tsipko, political scientist:
"In the 93rd Russia turned from the path of a parliamentary republic"
- In the shooting of the White House there is a terrible historical pattern. These deputies supported the
Belovezhsk agreements, destroying the USSR . And two years later, history itself threw them away.
Before the execution of the Supreme Council, Russia had the opportunity to maintain a parliamentary-
presidential republic. But another option was chosen - a presidential, even a super-presidential republic.
In fact, the restoration of absolute power, almost autocracy. Opportunities for a peaceful, tranquil
transition from communism to capitalism were missed. Russia has become the only country in Eastern
Europe that has achieved a political goal through blood. We missed the path taken by the rest of the
socialist camp. Parliamentary path, which opened up more space democracy.
The struggle between the parliament and Yeltsin is not a conflict within the people, but a dismantling of
the ruling layers among themselves. Yeltsin and Gaidar wanted immediate total reforms, including the
privatization of the “oil industry”. Parliament was in favor of gradual reforms.
Since Yeltsin shot parliament in 1993, the gulf between the people and the government has been laid.
The attitude to power of the people since then has developed such as if it has nothing to do with it.
The events of October 1993 remind us that the system that has developed since then in Russia is
unstable. The debate about the parliamentary start is not fully resolved. And the fact that the prime
minister in Russia today has turned into a figure relying on the majority in the Duma is not accidental.
Sooner or later, Russia will still have to seek a democratic balance between the parliament and the
executive branch.
ONLY HERE
Former commander of Alpha Gennady ZAITSEV: “The President said: the White House should
be freed from the gang that sat there.”
The special forces officer for the first time talks about why on October 4, 1993, he refused to carry out
the order.
- Gennady Nikolaevich, how in 1993 did the Alpha and Vympel groups (then they were in the Main
Directorate of Protection - the current FSO of Russia) manage to do without the storming of the White
House, without casualties?
- The order of the president was, of course, not the same as we did ...
- Was it a written order?
- Not. Yeltsin simply said: This is the situation, the “White House” must be freed from the gang that sat
there. The order was such that it was necessary to act not by persuasion, but by armed means.
But it was not the terrorists who were sitting there, but our citizens ... We decided to send
parliamentarians there.
- therefore there was no blood?
- How was it? Our alfovets, junior lieutenant Gennady Sergeyev , died ... They arrived at the White
House in the Beteer. On the pavement lay a wounded paratrooper. And they decided to take it out. They
dismounted from the batteer, and at that time the sniper in the back of Sergeyev and hit. But this was
not from the “White House” was a shot, clearly declare.
This meanness, she was with the sole purpose of beating Alfa, so that she rushed there and began to
shred everything. But I understood that if the operation was abandoned altogether, the division would
end. It will be overclocked ...
- Khasbulatov with Rutsky long doubted - to surrender, not to surrender?
- No, not long. We had time set - 20 minutes. And there are two conditions: either we are building a
corridor in the direction of the Moscow River, we call buses and we take everyone to the nearest metro.
Or after 20 minutes of assault. They said they agreed on the first option ... One of the deputies said
directly: what is there to debate?
- And if they did not give up?
- Well no. Well, how would they not give up? Where are they? Then they would have detained them
with force.
- Using weapons?
- I think no. We had an order not only for them, but in general. But especially regarding these, of
course.
- Rutskoi and Khasbulatov?
- Naturally.
- Was the order to shoot?
- Well, understand the reality of the situation. Once the order to release the "White House" from the
gang entrenched there ... So you will not be dissuaded by persuasion. So, we need to fight ... But we
said: everyone who is with a weapon leaves him in the lobby when leaving the White House. There a
mountain of weapons was formed ... But still, Alpha and Vympel fell into disfavor.
- Why?
- For one simple reason that the order had to be carried out by other methods.
- That is power?
- Yes. Therefore, in December 1993, the Presidential Decree on the transfer of "Vympel" to the
Ministry of Internal Affairs was signed.
“And Alpha?”
- I think that Barsukov (at that time the director of the GUO ) somewhere could report to Yeltsin: they
say that there is no such division already, and that’s all, Boris Nikolayevich. And they forgot about
Alpha. And in 1995 she was transferred to the Lubyanka ...
Alexander Gamov.
REVELATION
Andrei Dunaev, until the summer of 1993, Deputy Minister of the Interior, supporter of the
Supreme Council:
"Snipers sent from the US Embassy"
... If we wanted, we would have lasted a month or two in the White House. There were stocks of
weapons and food. But then a civil war would break out. If instead of Khasbulatov there was a Russian,
perhaps everything would have turned differently. The Rostov riot police, who came to Moscow, told
me: “Two men ... they fight for power. One is Russian, and the other is Chechen. So better support the
Russian. "
They supported not the law, but the Russian Boris.
... A few years later I met at the birthday party with former defense minister Pavel Grachev . He said:
“Remember, I went in front of tanks without a helmet? This is for you to kill me. ” That is, he
deliberately substituted himself. But we didn’t shoot ... In my eyes, an employee of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs died, he was mowed down by a sniper from the Mir Hotel. They rushed there, but the
shooter had to leave, only by special signs and style of execution they realized that this was not the
handwriting of our emoticons, not the KGB agents, but someone else's. Apparently, foreign intelligence
services. And they sent instigators from the American embassy. The US wanted to fan the civil war and
ravage Russia.
Olga Khodaeva (Express newspaper).
Other materials about the execution of the Parliament are also available in the Express newspaper.
ONLY NUMBERS
People against violence
The center of Yuri Levada, since 1993, has conducted regular surveys of the population about those
events. If in 1993, 51% of the respondents considered justified the use of force, while in Moscow 78%,
then 12 years later only 17% of Russians approved the use of force, and 60% were against it

'Tayny rasstrela “Belogo Doma”', Komsomolskaya Pravda 3 October 2008

<https://www.kp.ru/daily/24174/385092/>