1991: Soviet hardliners stage Gorbachev coup
Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev was overthrown after a coup by Communist hardliners, in August 1991.
Mr Gorbachev was placed under house arrest at his holiday home in the Crimea.
In a televised broadcast, the eight coup plotters, who included the heads of the army, the KGB and the police, said they were saving the country from a "national catastrophe".
As tanks patrolled the streets of Moscow, thousands of people came out to demonstrate against the takeover, including Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin.
Less than three days later, the coup leaders attempted to flee the country and Mr Gorbachev was returned to power.
大象传媒 Archive: This 大象传媒 News report by Martin Sixsmith was originally broadcast on 19 August 1991.