> The key thing for me here is that Yeltsin apparently falsified a lot of elections, including his own, to keep the right people in power.

No, he didn't. The 1996 elections were honest, with maybe slight irregularities in favor of his _opponent_. There is statistical analysis by a professional mathematician: https://www.electoral.graphics/en-us/Home/Articles/sergei-sh...

It _is_ correct to say that Yeltsin fought a very dirty campaign, using "dark cash" (the infamous "Xerox box") and unfair agreements with the major media owners.