Putin declares April 25 a day of national mourning

Moscow, Apr 24: President Vladimir Putin has declared April 25 a day of national mourning for Russia's first democratically elected President Boris Yeltsin, who died yesterday.

''We will do everything we can to ensure that the memory of Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin, his noble thoughts and his words, 'take care of Russia' serve as a moral and political benchmark for us,'' Mr Putin said in a televised address to the nation last night.

''We knew Boris Nikolayevich as a courageous but genial and warm-hearted person. He was straightforward and bold national leader who was frank and honest to his utmost in defending his position,'' he said.

Yeltsin was a ''national leader who always assumed responsibility for what he did for the Russian people, for what he tried to do and did for the country and millions of Russians,'' the President added.

''He let all troubles and upheavals experienced by Russia, the difficulties of people go through his heart,'' he noted, pointing out Yeltsin who opened a new era of free Russia.

''A new era began owing to Boris Nikolayevich'' free and democratic Russia with a new constitution that gave people an opportunity to express their thoughts freely,'' he said.

He also expressed his 'sincere condolences' to Yeltsin's wife, Naina Iosifovna Yeltsina and the family.

He said Yeltsin will be buried at the Novodevichye Cemetery on April 25.

The President also postponed his annual state of the nation address to the Federal Assembly scheduled for tomorrow. Now it will take place on Thursday, the Kremlin press service said.

UNI