On the same day, yanayev issued an order announcing that Gorbachev could not perform his duties as president due to his health condition. Eight senior leaders, including yanayev, formed a national emergency committee and announced that they would take over state power "to save the Soviet Union in danger of disintegration".
On the same day, yanayev issued an order in the name of the acting president, "because the situation in the capital Moscow is in a state of tension", and a state of emergency will be implemented in Moscow from now on.
However, yanayev has no military support. Boris Yeltsin, then president of the Russian Federation, described the emergency committee as an "unconstitutional organization" and wanted to "investigate" the "criminal responsibility" of the participating members.
Three days later, the National Emergency Committee failed. Among the eight members, yanayev and others were arrested, and 1 committed suicide. Subsequently, the Russian procuratorate filed criminal charges against all eight people and several other participants for "treason" and "conspiracy to usurp power". The defendants all denied guilt. The "8 19" case finally became complicated and special.