BRUSSELS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso extended here on Monday his condolence to the death of Boris Yeltsin, the first President of the Russian Federation.

    In a written statement, Barroso said "the (European) Commission sends its condolences to Mr. Yeltsin's family, the Russian authorities and the people of Russia," he added.

    Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin has died at the age of 76, a Kremlin spokesmen said Monday. The former president "died a sudden death in Moscow on Monday," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Kremlin source as saying.