Soviet vote Wednesday in the first democratic elections for the presidency of the Russian Republic and the mayors of various cities. On Monday , an estimated 30,000 people marched in support for the front runner for president, Nikolaj Ryzhkov . The campaign has turned dirty with newspaper allegations that Yeltsin is emotionally unstable. Yeltsin 's aides have charged that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev personally ordered a KBG smear. This indicates that rapprochement between Yeltsin and Gorbachev is only skin deep and also indicates growing desperation by Russians leaders. Failure to win an absolute majority will force a runoff with Yeltsin 's main opponent, former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolaj Ryzhkov .
Russians vote Wednesday in the first democratic elections for the presidency of the Russian Republic and the mayors of various cities. On Monday, some 30,000 people marched in support for the front runner for president, Boris Yeltsin. The campaign has turned dirty with newspaper allegations that Yeltsin is emotionally unstable. Yeltsin's aides have charged that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev personally ordered a KBG smear. This indicates that rapprochement between Yeltsin and Gorbachev is only skin deep and also indicates growing desperation by Soviet leaders. Failure to win an absolute majority will force a runoff with Yeltsin's main opponent, former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolaj Ryzhkov.