Different generations of Russians remember the turbulent events of August 1991 with a range of emotions dominated by uncertainty mixed with hope.
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AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko
Anatoly Lukyanov, chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, right, gestures beside Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev during debate on the Union Treaty. Moscow. Dec. 24, 1990.
Victor Fedorenko/ RIA Novosti
As state of emergency was declared in Moscow troops brought in to the city. Tanks on the Kalinin avenue (Novy Arbat). 19 Aug. 1991.
Alexander Polyakov/ RIA Novosti
Demonstartors on the Manezhnaya square. A state of emergency was declared and troops brought in to Moscow. 19 Aug. 1991.
Alexander Chumichev/ TASS
Tanks on Red Square. Moscow. 19 Aug. 1991.
Vitaly Sozinov and Gennady Khamelyanin/TASS
Tanks on the streets of Moscow during the attempted coup.19 Aug, 1991.
Stanislav Panov/ TASS
Supporters of democracy milling around outside the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Moscow. Aug. 19, 1991.
Valentin Kuzmin and Alexander Chumichev/ TASS News Photography
Defenders of democracy near the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Moscow, 19 Aug. 1991.
Alexander Chumichev and Valery Khristoforov/ TASS
Tanks among supporters of democracy. Moscow. 19 Aug. 1991.
Gennady Khamelyanin/ TASS
At the barricades around the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Moscow. Aug. 19, 1991.
Andrei Babushkin/ TASS
Defenders of democracy building barricades in front of the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Moscow 19 Aug. 1991.
Gennady Khamelyanin/ TASS
At the barricades around the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Moscow. Aug. 19, 1991.
AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski
Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin is surrounded by dozens of reporters in front of the Federation building in Moscow, Aug. 20, 1991.
Alexander Chumichev and Valery Khristoforov/ TASS
Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, speaks to supporters outside the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Aug. 20, 1991.
Sergey Guneev/ RIA Novosti
Troops that switched over to the Russian parliament side in front of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet. 20 Aug. 1991.
Vladimir Yatsina and Valentin Kuzmin/ TASS
Muscovites hold a meeting in support of democracy at the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Moscow, 20 Aug. 1991.
Gennady Khamelyanin/ TASS
Defenders of democracy join arms around the Russian White House, home of the government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Moscow. Aug. 20, 1991.
Yury Belinsky and Nikolai Berketov/ TASS
100,000 Russians gather in Palace Square to oppose the coup attempt. Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Aug. 20. 1991.
Yury Belinsky and Nikolai Berketov/ TASS
100,000 Russians gather in Palace Square to oppose the coup attempt. Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Aug. 20. 1991.
AP Photo/Serdjan Ilich
Two Muscovites carry a metal piece which was part of a barricade in downtown Moscow, Aug. 21, 1991.
Andrei Solovyov/ TASS
Russians link arms in front of a giant Russian tri-color to celebrate the failure of the coup. Moscow. Aug. 22, 1991.
AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko
Nikolai Amelin, a tank driver, shows V-sign from the podium during mass rally near Russian Parliament building in Moscow, Aug. 22, 1991. Amelin was one of the first Soviet soldiers who started guarding the building of Russian Parliament.
Valery Khristoforov/ TASS
A Russian tri-color flag extends through Manezh Square after the failure of the coup. Moscow. Aug. 22, 1991.
AP Photo
Part of a large crowd outside the Russian Parliament building in Moscow celebrates the news that the coup attempt by Communist hardliners has failed.
AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic
Fireworks in central Moscow, Aug. 22, 1991, fired from the Russian Federation building, illuminate the sky over Hotel Ukraina, marking the return of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to power. Moscow. Aug. 22, 1991.
TASS
Muscovites lay flowers at the place where three victims of the coup attempt were killed. Moscow. August 1991.
Andrei Babushkin/ TASS
A procession in memory of the three young Muscovites who died during the attempted coup – Dmitry Komar, Ilya Krichevsky and Vladimir Usov – proceeds down Kalinin Prospekt (Novy Arbat). Moscow. Aug. 22, 1991.
AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic
Flowers are laid along Kalinisky Street, the route of the funeral procession for victims of the failed Kremlin coup. Moscow , Aug. 24, 1991.
AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski
Thousands of people surround three flag-and-flower draped coffins, which are placed in Manezh Square along with large photos of those killed in the coup. Moscow. Aug. 24, 1991.
AP Photo/Dusan Vranic
People line up to pay their last respects at the graves of victims of the failed Kremlin coup. Moscow. Aug. 25, 1991.
AP Photo/Peter Dejong
Tourists stroll among statues of former Soviet Communist leaders near Gorky Park, some which were toppled after the failed coup. Moscow. Sept. 6, 1991.
