Defiance in Moscow: August 1991

NARRATOR: By dawn this morning, amid a sea of debris, it was becoming clear that the coup was disintegrating. The Russian parliament building was unscathed; the military had not made their move. Inside, Boris Yeltsin was more powerful than ever. He had inspired defiance, with reformers taking to the streets in the early hours of this morning. This did perhaps mark the beginning of the end.

NARRATOR: (CRIES AND SCREAMS FROM CROWD) Amid the chaos of street clashes (GUN FIRE), it was obvious that, to reinforce their position, the hardliners would have to resort to violence. Such action between the people and the security forces has not been seen since the early days of the Russian Revolution.

NARRATOR: There are scenes of extraordinary drama here in Moscow tonight, scenes of destruction, of fire, even of blood on the streets.

NARRATOR: This was the only such incident last night. Four people died, shot or crushed by armoured vehicles. Scuffles broke out between demonstrators. For a moment, it seemed the situation was out of control.

NARRATOR: But during the night, the new leadership had lost their nerve. The reformers had regrouped just in time. The young conscript soldiers on the streets were bewildered. They, too, were victims of this coup.

NARRATOR: Closeted inside the Kremlin, the acting president Yanayev and the other plotters decided they could no longer stay in the city. As they fled down the airport road, it was a humiliation, an extraordinary climbdown. It's known they flew from this heavily guarded VIP airport. Their destination: the Crimea. Their intentions, though, remain a mystery. The only time they've been seen in public was on Monday afternoon when they told reporters that Gorbachev was suffering mental strain. It was, of course, a fiction. And for their betrayal, they may face a trial on charges of treason.

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