- Given almost no hope of re-election early in the year, Russian President Boris Yeltsin has won a second term in a stunning victory over his rival, Communist Gennady Zyuganov. Russia's second-ever presidential election and its outcome will be pivotal to the nation's future. Below, you will find an overview of the entire election process, a profile of the major candidates from the first round, ...www.cnn.com/WORLD/pivotal.elections/1996/russia/index.html