MOSCOW (AP) Across its 11 time zones, Russia held the world's
longest New Year's Eve celebrations today, as Russians paraded
through snowy streets and gobbled up caviar. But at midnight, many
people greeted the new millennium at home with family.
Boris Yeltsin dominated holiday conversation, after his surprise
resignation during a nationally televised address. The news stunned
Russians, but parties proceeded as planned.
Russians largely shrugged off worries about the Y2K computer
problems that have unsettled other countries. Russian officials
insisted that the country's nuclear facilities and electricity
network were prepared for the changeover to 2000, despite concern
abroad that Russia has lagged on purging crucial computers of the
so-called millennium bug.
No problems were reported after Russia's first few time zones
moved into the new year, starting with the remote Chukotka
peninsula across from Alaska.
''The energy systems have entered the New Year without any
disruptions whatsoever,'' said Anatoly Chubais, head of the
national power monopoly UES, according to the news agency Interfax.
Thousands of people watched fireworks over the main harbor in
the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, thronging with military boats
decorated with lights and pennants.
Most of Russia's 146 million people were likely to spend the
holiday at home with relatives and friends, exchanging gifts. New
Year's is the biggest holiday of the year in Russia, and is
traditionally a family affair.
Last-minute shoppers bought up cheap champagne and chocolates
and children played with firecrackers in Moscow parks.
Security was tightened in Moscow and in the Caucasus Mountain
region, where Russian troops are battling Chechen rebels. Both
sides in the war said they were expecting New Year's attacks.
Despite the war and Russia's protracted financial and social
problems, many Russians looked with guarded optimism toward the new
year, amid signs that the economy is picking up, if slightly. And
2000 promises to be a pivotal year politically.
Presidential elections will be held in March, bringing Russia
its first new leader since the 1991 Soviet collapse. Yeltsin
transferred his powers today to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a
moderate former KGB officer who is Russia's most popular
politician. Putin has said he would run for president.
Yeltsin also bequeathed his annual New Year's address to Putin,
who was to speak to the nation for the first time as acting
president at midnight Moscow time (4 p.m. EST).
