the country is deteriorating, human rights deteriorating. the soviet union is an autonomy. that rights deteriorating. the soviet union is an autonomy.- rights deteriorating. the soviet union is an autonomy. at the time the collapse _ union is an autonomy. at the time the collapse of _ union is an autonomy. at the time the collapse of the _ union is an autonomy. at the time the collapse of the coup _ union is an autonomy. at the time the collapse of the coup was i union is an autonomy. at the time | the collapse of the coup was hailed as a victory of people power but in the years that followed, democracy failed to root itself in russia. that is partly because life became so tough here that in the eyes of many russians, the very concept of democracy became discredited. but it is also because for those running russia today, authoritarian rule is backin russia today, authoritarian rule is back in fashion. this year the authorities cracked down hard on anti—government protests. and there have been police raids on government critics. so where does that leave democracy? for many here a distant memory. this monument honours the three men killed in the 1991 coup. there are few visitors. there seems