Yes Boris Yeltsin.
The last title of the house was "Department of the Chelyabinsk branch of the Institute of Culture and Training Center of Culture Sverdlovsk region" before that it had been Revolution Museum , Anti-religion Atheist Museum and Agricultural department office.
Here is quote from Vasily Gudkov - Chairman Sverdlosk Executive committee at the time. I hope it understands in English.
Since the onset of our country "era of transparency" still there is talk of demolishing the mansion engineer Ipatiev. Many times I have told reporters about the details of the case, but each time they present all their own way. Created a fourth film on the subject, however, and there are my information is incomplete, one-sided.
Resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Leonid Brezhnev signed, the demolition of the house, in the basement of which in 1918 was shot the royal family, came to the Sverdlovsk Regional Party Committee at the time when the first secretary of the regional committee was Yakov Ryabov. I then worked as chairman of the City Council. Ryabov wrote on the resolution resolution: to introduce four people, including me.
After reading the document, I met up with James Petrovich and told him that I can not, I have no right to order the demolition of the building. And asked that this decision was made Executive Committee. I said, no, this ruling will not be enough that you acquainted with the party document.
What else can I say? I began to think how to do, in fact, an order. It should be noted that neither my deputies, nor the architects of the city did not support the decision of the Politburo. And then erupted in protest public opinion. All of our papers, and then the "Soviet Russia" opposed the demolition of the Ipatiev House. Under the pressure of this house have declared an architectural monument of the Russian scale. I'm frankly glad this turn: maybe after that in Moscow abandon their idea. Meanwhile Ryabov elected secretary of the Central Committee of the party, he goes to the capital, and the first secretary of the regional committee shall elect Yeltsin. I think I got a new manager, it will not upload such a problem.
But it turned out that I was wrong. Yeltsin received a call from the CC, why not raze the Ipatiev house? Boris calls me to her: "Are you familiar with the decision of the Politburo?" Yes, I say, is familiar. But how can I endure this house if public opinion against the "Ural worker", "Evening Sverdlovsk," even the Central Committee of the Communist Party newspaper "Soviet Russia" against. I can not go against all. Turn all in the right direction.
Rotate, of course, did not. Using the mode of party discipline, commanded reporters, and everyone fell silent. Yeltsin told me: "You see, now, no one squeaks." - "But there is another question - I answer. - Ipatiev House - a monument of Russian values. I have no right to allow its demolition. If that happens, I will serve as the court and could be imprisoned for willful violation of the law. " Boris agreed, saying, "I'm glad you asked this question, I'll try to solve it."
He immediately called Solomentsev. It turned out that he was, although he was a candidate member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the ruling did not know, apparently, at the time of its adoption at a meeting of the Politburo was not present. Boris advises the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, "You'll sort things out in your home, so we did not break the law."
This conversation took place in the evening. In the morning I go to the city council, and there I lay on the table a resolution the Council of Ministers of Russia: Ipatiev house in Sverdlovsk excluded from the monuments of Russian values. Well, I say to myself, now you have all the ends are cut off, do not refer to that. Yeltsin called: "So, Boris, we will take down?" Reply was short: "Always."
It turned out that neither I nor he witnessed the destruction of the building. We have been planning the next vacation. Before leaving, I was summoned by the chief architect of the city Gennady Ivanovich Belyankina and instructed him zafotografirovat mansion. Perhaps the time will come when you want to restore, and all will need the original pictures.
Time, as we see, it is, but the building did not rise from the ashes, and the place was erected the Church on the Blood.
