How Sick is Yeltsin?

MOSCOW: When Boris Yeltsin sneezes, Russias political system faces a crippling cold, according to TIMEs Moscow Bureau Chief Paul Quinn-Judge. President Yeltsin was hospitalized Wednesday for what aides described as an acute respiratory viral infection that developed out of a cold, and will spend at least 10 days at a clinic outside Moscow.

Says Quinn-Judge: The last time we were told the president had a respiratory infection in January of this year he was extremely ill for two months. The political process was paralyzed for two months and there was a lot of nasty political infighting and even talk of succession.

Its too soon to say whether his current bout of illness is cause for alarm: This time we could get off lightly, but nobody knows, says Quinn-Judge. Yeltsins administration provides very little information about the presidents health.