How did boris yeltsin become the president of russia? he overthrew gorbachev in a coup d’état. he was appointed by the communist party. he was a military leader who took control. he won the country’s first open election.

Boris Yeltsin became the President of Russia because he won the country's first open election. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, there were new nation states that were formed and they also adopted new political and governmental structures. In 1991 Yeltsin was elected President of the newly formed Russian Federation.