An aide, not vodka, blanked out Boris

AFTER 13 years Boris Yeltsin’s explanation for events at Shannon Airport finally emerged yesterday — it was his aide’s fault.

Most blamed vodka, officials blamed heart trouble, but the colourful former Russian president blamed his right-hand men for his failure to leave the plane and greet then-taoiseach Albert Reynolds on the Co Clare tarmac.

Speaking on radio yesterday Mr Reynolds said he met Mr Yeltsin shortly after the incident. “He told me that his people never called him. He said he was asleep and they never woke him up. I just smiled. I think he got the message.”