Valentin G Stepankov

An anti-corruption commission appointed by Boris N. Yeltsin on Wednesday accused two key government figures and political rivals of the Russian president of corruption. Vice President Alexander V. Rutskoi was charged with having at least two country houses and a secret Swiss bank account, and General Prosecutor Valentin G. Stepankov was accused of discussing the murder of a political foe.

An anti-corruption commission appointed by Boris N. Yeltsin on Wednesday accused two key government figures and political rivals of the Russian president of corruption. Vice President Alexander V. Rutskoi was charged with having at least two country houses and a secret Swiss bank account, and General Prosecutor Valentin G. Stepankov was accused of discussing the murder of a political foe.

After two years of stalling by hard-line lawmakers and prosecutors, Russia will reintroduce jury trials in some courts this fall for the first time since 1917, a senior official said Tuesday. Parliament endorsed the idea of jury trials in the fall of 1991, during the flood of political reforms that followed the abortive August, 1991, coup. But opposition from some lawmakers and Prosecutor General Valentin G.

The dozen die-hard Communists on trial for treason in August, 1991, stepped up attacks on their accusers Thursday, demanding that the entire team of prosecutors be dismissed for bias, leaks and misconduct. As they left the courthouse after the second day of the trial, the coup leaders flashed the V-for-victory symbol and signed autographs for cheering fans in a show of hard-line hubris.

One is penning verse behind bars. Another shot himself to death to avoid the shame of capture. A third is back at work on his farm but had to promise not to engage in politics. One year after they tried to usurp Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev's powers and take control of a superpower, members of the short-lived State Emergency Committee and their accomplices have no idea when--or even if--they will stand trial. Valentin G.

The trial of 12 of the most powerful men of the Gorbachev era, who face charges of high treason for their roles in the August, 1991, coup, commenced Wednesday with the accused audaciously challenging the court with one legal maneuver after another.

President Boris N. Yeltsin demanded Wednesday night that Russia's regional legislatures, the last bastions of lawful resistance to his emergency rule, disband themselves and submit to the voters in December when a new national Parliament is elected. But he indicated that Communist and ultranationalist parties, a sizable and well-organized political bloc, would be disqualified from the Dec.

With the last wisps of smoke curling from the charred White House, Russia was still reeling Tuesday from the fiery Moscow battles that left 150 dead at latest count and 1,500 under arrest by angry authorities now pursuing a general crackdown. President Boris N. Yeltsin remained out of sight, promising to address the nation and meet with his security council today.

President Boris N. Yeltsin announced Saturday night that he is assuming temporary power to rule Russia by decree and ordered an April 25 referendum asking voters to endorse his leadership, a new constitution drafted under his direction and a law to elect a new Parliament. The bold initiative brought Russia's long-running leadership crisis to its most critical point since the collapse of the Soviet Union 15 months ago.

President Boris N. Yeltsin, appearing more confident of his grip on power, called Thursday for presidential elections next June, two years ahead of schedule, in an effort to prod Russia's conservative Parliament to obey his decree and disband.

Meet Oleg D. Baklanov, charged with treason and facing a possible death sentence: He greets a visitor in his spacious apartment here, filled with mementos of a fulfilling career. In his study, scale models of Soviet spacecraft and photographs of historic launches attest to his former position as director of defense production. The works of Lenin line a bookshelf along one wall. A Western computer hums on his desk.