The candidate backed by Vlasov for President of the Russian Republic , Russian Aleksandr Vlasov , withdrew from the race today , strengthening the campaign of Yeltsin , the populist who has repeatedly clashed with Vlasov . two other men remained in the race but the contest appeared to be between Yeltsin and Vlasov . On Wednesday, Gorbachev attacked Yeltsin's platform, accusing him of calling for the ``breakup of the Soviet Union.'' Earlier, Yeltsin delivered a speech pledging to defend the republic from meddling by the national Soviet government but refrained from clashing with Gorbachev . Gorbachev holds the posts of President of the USSR and General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party , the Two most powerful jobs in the Soviet Union .
The candidate backed by Vlasov for President of the Russian Republic , Russian Aleksandr Vlasov , withdrew from the race today , strengthening the campaign of Yeltsin , the populist who has repeatedly clashed with Vlasov . two other men remained in the race but the contest appeared to be between Yeltsin and Vlasov . Earlier, Yeltsin delivered a speech pledging to defend the republic from meddling by the national Soviet government but refrained from clashing with Gorbachev . Gorbachev holds the posts of President of the USSR and General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party , the Two most powerful jobs in the Soviet Union .