Abstract
<jats:p>The article examines the evolution of the political and socio-economic stance of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR) during the crucial period of the country’s systemic transformation from 1990 to 1993. Through the analysis of documentary sources and historical data, it reconstructs the dynamics of FNPR’s shift from alliance with democratic forces and support for Boris Yeltsin’s course to growing opposition and open conflicts with the federal government. Special attention is paid to the key factors of this transformation: the in-ternal struggle between “centrists” and “radicals” within the trade union movement, disillusionment with the re-sults of market reforms, and the involvement of the FNPR in the political confrontation between the executive and legislative branches in 1993. The article demonstrates how the FNPR, striving to maintain its role as a mass social defender, was forced to maneuver between pressure “from below” (the demands of rank-and-file members) and "from above" (state policy), which ultimately led to a crisis of its initial model and a change in leadership. The work contributes to understanding the role of major public institutions during the era of post-Soviet transition.</jats:p>