Moscow-at-the-Altar
He wasn't well enough to greet Madeleine Albright. And he hasn't
made it to his Kremlin office once this year. But what really
got Boris Yeltsin upset was missing the wedding of his eldest
grandchild. Katya Okulova, ITAR-TASS was pleased to report,
married at the tender age of 19. The groom, we are cryptically
told, is a "fellow classmate." (Katya is a history major at
Moscow State, although she has been on "academic leave.")
Kremlin handlers are willing to discuss the particulars of the
President's bleeding ulcer, but Katya's nuptials -- which, given
her grandfather's state, looked a bit rushed -- are strictly off
limits. Reports in the Russian media, however, indicated that
Grandpa (who turns 68 this week) was "extremely sad" not to be
there. Yeltsin did give his blessing and a bouquet to the
newlyweds -- when they stopped by the Kremlin hospital after the
service.