The group was lead by Gennady Yanayev, Gorbachev's vice president and they hoped to keep the power of the central Soviet government intact and stop the democratic reforms of the new era. Yanayev declared himself acting President due to Gorbachev's "illness" and promised to recreate Russia as a Soviet Republic. The idea was meet with a great deal of opposition especially in Moscow, which was the center of the pro-democratic movement. However, this was deeply hindered when on August 23, Boris Yeltsin was assassinated along with one of his aides while making a speech by a proto-fascist Vadik Solotov. Panic broke out in the crowd and in the ensuing riot 8 people were killed and 165 injured, including Vadik Solotov who was killed while trying to escape into the crowd. This fact would actually n