Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 5, 1993 TAG: 9310050265
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times
DATELINE: MOSCOW LENGTH: Medium
The mass surrender of lawmakers and their armed supporters seemed likely to allow Yeltsin to move ahead with plans to elect a new parliament in December and pursue long-frustrated economic reforms. But he still faces daunting challenges in his effort to transform Russia's economy and society.
Parliament leaders gave up after 1,000 soldiers raked the white marble parliament relentlessly with fire from T-72 tank cannons and heavy machine guns, but at least some holdouts remained at large late Monday.
After nightfall, tracer bullets streaked overhead as flames shot up the sides of the parliament, known as the White House. Early today, firefighters began trying to douse the flames, braving sniper fire from within the White House and nearby buildings. The search for holdouts was difficult because the 19-story parliament building is full of twisting corridors and hidden rooms.
The storming of the building broke hard-line opposition in parliament, but many people harbor deep resentment against the soaring prices and other painful changes under Yeltsin's reforms.
Parliament Speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov, Vice President Alexander Rutskoi and other leaders of the two-week occupation of the White House were taken from the parliament to prison.
Escalating their defiance of Yeltsin's dissolution of parliament on Sept. 21, his armed opponents captured the Moscow mayor's offices and tried to take Russia's main television center Sunday. Parliament leaders had urged supporters to topple Yeltsin, whose reforms had been continually undermined by the communist-dominated legislature. Yeltsin struck back just after dawn Monday with the assault on the parliament building.
"All that was and still is going on in Moscow - was an armed revolt planned in advance," he said on nationwide television. "It was organized by communists seeking revenge, by fascist leaders and some of the former lawmakers. . . . There can be no forgiveness, because they lifted their hand against peaceful people."
But as sniper fire continued and sporadic gunbattles occurred in the streets early today, there were signs that the anti-Yeltsin forces were not giving up easily.
"If Yeltsin thinks this is the end, we have to disappoint him and assure him this is just the beginning," said Konstantin L. Savchenkov, a pro-parliament businessman who watched the attack.
President Clinton and other Western leaders were quick to support Yeltsin on Monday.
Authorities had no firm figures on casualties, but soldiers stacked dozens of bodies outside the building. Russian television reported that Sunday's battle at the TV complex alone left 62 dead and 400 wounded.
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