Yanayev was Acting President of the Soviet Union during the August Coup of 1991, but was jailed following the coup's collapse and Gorbachev returned to his post as President.
Janajev var fungerende præsident i Sovjetunionen under Augustkuppet i 1991, men blev fængslet efter kuppets kollaps, og Gorbatjov vendte tilbage til sin stilling som præsident.