NPR's Andy Bowers reports that Russian President Boris Yeltsin has announced today that he will undergo heart surgery at the end of this month. Yeltsin's announcement brings to an end two months of speculation concerning his health. It also ends the confusing stories coming from the Kremlin that Yeltsin was only suffering from fatigue. This is the first time a Russian leader has been so open about his health. Is is a far cry from the days of the Soviet Union, when the health of the leader was considered a state secret.
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