This powerful archival footage captures former Russian President Boris Yeltsin during the 2004 presidential election, a highly symbolic appearance that served as his definitive public endorsement of incumbent Vladimir Putin. Yeltsin, the architect of post-Soviet Russia, used this moment to anoint his successor visually, transferring the mantle of leadership and granting Putin an invaluable seal of legitimacy from the man who started the new Russian era. His deliberate presence at the polls was a calculated political act, designed to frame Putin’s reign not as a break from the past, but as the stable and legitimate continuation of Yeltsin’s own project.

The footage is indispensable for narrating the complex political transition from the chaotic 1990s to the centralized power of the 2000s. It provides essential B-roll for documentaries exploring modern Russian history, features on political strategy and legacy, and analytical pieces on the cultivation of political power. This clip is not merely a historical record; it is a visual document of a calculated endorsement that helped solidify a political dynasty, making it a critical asset for any project covering this era.