On the quiet night of August 18, Yeltsin, who had just returned from abroad, was enjoying a moment of peace on the sofa in his villa. He was just over 60 years old and was undoubtedly the most promising reformer after Gorbachev. Everyone in the West and at home had noticed his achievements. Even Yeltsin himself admitted that from the people's leader to the Russian president, he was gradually destroying the red empire that the Slavic people had spent 69 years to build.
Just as the detailed terms of the new union treaty published in Izvestia on August 15 were completely within his expectations, so far the shabby building of the Soviet Communist Party is falling apart step by step according to his plan. When Yeltsin thought that this evil empire would end in his own hands or in Gorbachev's hands, a smile of victory appeared on his lips.
"You beasts of the evil empire, thank me, Yeltsin, for bringing you hope for democracy and freedom." Yeltsin raised his glass proudly and said to himself. He stood up and was about to turn on the TV to watch the news that night, but the urgent ringing of the phone on the table interrupted his action of pressing the button on the remote control.
At first Yeltsin didn't want to answer the phone, but the ringing sounded like an emergency alarm, and Yeltsin felt uneasy. He had to put down the remote control, put on his slippers, walked to the table, picked up the phone unhappily, and said hello in a rough voice.
On the other end of the line was General Lebed, commander of the paratroopers, a fish that slipped through the net during Yanayev's political purge. He was also a loyal follower of Yeltsin. At this time, General Lebed anxiously informed Yeltsin, "President Yeltsin, I'm sorry to call you so late, but there is something I must report to you."
"Is there anything that can't be reported tomorrow? It's already eleven o'clock." Yeltsin's voice clearly revealed impatience.
"No, this matter is really important." The person on the other end of the phone held the receiver tightly and said in the most serious tone, "According to reliable intelligence, a group of senior officials led by Yanaev are preparing to revolt. President Yeltsin, please rush to the White House as soon as possible. I will do my best to delay them."
"You must be kidding, General Lebed. If they want to carry out a rebellion, the first thing they have to do is to restrict Gorbachev's actions and then declare martial law, instead of coming to deal with me." Yeltsin disagreed with Lebed's words. The current domestic situation was very good for Yeltsin, and launching a coup was completely contrary to the trend.
"Today during the day, a special plane flew to the Foros Villa on the Crimean Peninsula. Two hours ago, I received news of the coup. Defense Minister Yazov is now actively mobilizing all armed forces of the Moscow Guards Division, including the Taman Division, to enter Moscow to maintain stability. Mr. President Yeltsin, you can try to call General Secretary Gorbachev at the Foros Villa. If you can't get through, then my guess is probably correct."
Now General Lebed's words did not sound so far-fetched. Yeltsin quickly grabbed another phone and tried to call the president's Black Sea resort. However, no matter how many times he called, he got a busy tone. So he called his colleagues in the Politburo, but the answer they got was that since noon today, General Secretary Yeltsin's phone has been unreachable. When they questioned Plekhanov, the head of the KGB's Ninth Bureau, who was responsible for protecting the president, they received an ambiguous answer.
Yeltsin began to panic. He was so overwhelmed by victory that he remembered that he did not have full control over the most important Taman Motorized Infantry Division. The only ones willing to be loyal to him were the paratroopers led by Lebed. At this time, Yeltsin's palms were covered with a layer of cold sweat. He picked up the phone and said to Lebed, "Can you mobilize the paratroopers now?"
"Okay." Lebed's answer was brief and powerful. His tone had calmed down and he was quietly waiting for Yeltsin's next instruction.
Hearing this assurance, Yeltsin felt a little relieved. He issued the next order, "Move all the paratroopers you can mobilize to the White House to defend it. I am going to the White House to call on the people of Moscow to stand up against the Soviet tyranny, to defend Moscow, to defend Russia! I can't believe that these high-ranking officials dare to point their guns at the people!"
"Okay, I'll arrange it right away. Take care, President Yeltsin." Lebed said goodbye to Yeltsin in a solemn voice.
"You too, General Lebed. It is an honor for the Russian people to have you here." Yeltsin smiled with relief, and the weight hanging in his heart finally fell. "You go ahead and do your work. I am going to the White House now. See you then."
"Goodbye... President Yeltsin."
General Lebed on the other end of the phone put down the receiver. He looked up at Yanaev standing in front of him and the fully armed GRU soldiers surrounding him, and said in a trembling voice, "I have done what you said. Now you can let my wife and son go, right?"
"Of course, I appreciate General Lebed's cooperation." Yanayev bowed slightly to Lebed and replied in a neither humble nor arrogant tone, "Oh, by the way, do you know why your leader, Lieutenant General Grachev, was dismissed, but you were retained?"
"No, I don't want to know." Lebed shook his head in panic. The less he knew, the better it would be for him. People who knew too many secrets would not live long.
But Yanayev obviously would not give him this opportunity. "In fact, I have been waiting for this day. Now, as a chess piece, your mission is completed."
"Thank God." General Lebed held his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as he was about to stand up, Yanayev nodded to the soldier beside him. The soldier with the black mask raised the silencer-equipped pistol in his hand and fired a bullet at Lebed's broad forehead. There was no spark, and the bullet shot from the muzzle penetrated Lebed's head at a very low decibel.
The paratrooper brigadier general fell silently on the wooden board of his home, and the blood from the bullet holes turned the yellow wooden board into an ugly dark red. Yanayev squatted down and closed Lebed's eyelids, and said slowly, "Your mission is completed, and your usefulness is naturally gone, so thank God for this matter, you should tell him in person."
Yanayev ordered his men to turn on all the gas stoves in Lebed's house, close the doors and windows, and quickly leave the house. When the gas concentration in the house reached a certain level, it would explode quickly when it hit the lights on.
There was a loud bang, and Yanayev, who had just walked outside the house, turned around and saw a huge orange-yellow fireball rising into the sky. The flames shooting out of the window slowly burned the wooden building into ashes.
"Let's go. There's nothing to linger about. There will be many more victims of reincarnation politics." Yanaev lit a cigarette and said to the GRU soldiers around him. These people are now Yanaev's coup supporters. It can be said that as long as Yanaev succeeds, their originally bleak future will immediately become immeasurable.
Everyone got into the jeep parked on the side of the road, and Yanaev told the driver to drive to the highway on the outskirts of Moscow, where he had carefully prepared a fireworks feast for Yeltsin.