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The city is also an important transport junction
There are teacher-training and construction and road-building institutes
A large hydroelectric station lies upstream on the Irtysh
The opening of the new production facility in Ust-Kamenogorsk is an important strategic milestone that will further expand Sika’s presence in a key region
Kazakhstan is one of the richest countries in mineral resources
with an expanding mining industry and many companies in the chemical
and automotive sectors located in the eastern part of the country
both market segments driving a strong demand for Sika’s solutions
Regional Manager EMEA: “The new production plant in eastern Kazakhstan will enable us to meet the growing demand from the mining and construction industries for highperformance mortars and concrete admixtures
Kazakhstan presents significant opportunities
and we are committed to serving this region with our innovative solutions.”
SUSTAINED GROWTH IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN KAZAKHSTAN
The construction industry in Kazakhstan is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 4.2% up to 2028
The current value of construction projects across the country is estimated at nearly CHF 160 billion
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The city of Ust-Kamenogorsk in eastern Kazakhstan has once again found itself at the center of an environmental scandal, with polluted air and unfavorable weather conditions causing deteriorating health among its citizens and forcing schoolchildren to move to distance learning
Smog in the city: complaints and consequences
unfavorable weather conditions hit Ust-Kamenogorsk
Citizens complained of worsening health: headaches
who have to breathe polluted air on their way to school
Parents have repeatedly expressed their outrage
the authorities transitioned some 53,000 of the city’s schoolchildren to distance learning on November 28-29
This marked the first time in the city’s history that education was suspended due to the environmental situation
Weather forecasters say that the unfavorable weather conditions will continue until at least the end of November
This means that Ust-Kamenogorsk residents will continue to suffer from smog
and children will probably remain in distance learning
head of the Department of Ecology for the East Kazakh region
said that environmental agencies are working hard these days
conducting air measurements throughout the city
inspections of enterprises are complicated by bureaucratic procedures: access to production facilities requires an official application with evidence of violation
joint inspections took place at two large enterprises in the region: Kazzinc and an oil extraction plant
the results of the inspections have not been published
but activists and citizens continue to insist on the need for more transparent controls over emissions
Residents of Ust-Kamenogorsk are discussing the air pollution situation on social networks
In comments on the Instagram platform one can see messages such as:
– “It is impossible to breathe
– “How is it possible to poison almost 400,000 people
– “There is a taste of metal and acid in my mouth.”
Despite the fact that the problem has become a reason for creating memes and jokes about smog
reactions such as these reveal the deep dissatisfaction and anxiety of the city’s residents
People are starting to openly demand that authorities strengthen control over emissions from enterprises and take real measures to improve the environmental situation in the city
The new site will help address the growing demand from the mining and construction industries in the region
has launched a new production facility in Ust-Kamenogorsk (or Oskemen)
The site houses production lines and a modern laboratory dedicated to mortar and concrete admixtures
Located in a key eastern industrial region of Kazakhstan
this is Sika’s fourth factory in the country
This new site in Ust-Kamenogorsk is a key strategic milestone for Sika
facilitating deeper penetration into a vital market
Eastern Kazakhstan has a substantial mining sector and a significant presence of firms in the chemical
The continued growth of these industries creates significant demand for Sika’s offerings
which is further amplified by the growing residential housing market
stated that the new plant will help address the rising demand from the mining and construction industries for mortars and concrete admixtures
and we are committed to serving this region with our innovative solutions,” he added
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But officials in Kazakhstan are facing lots of complaints over efforts to make time bend to their will
A presidential decree issued in early 2024 established a single time zone across Kazakhstan
a country that stretches almost 2,000 miles from west to east
Previously the country had been divided into two times zones
with major cities including Almaty and Astana six hours ahead of GMT/UTC
and the western energy-producing region five hours ahead.
the unification of time is causing a lot of grousing in the most populated parts of the country
The time change means that darkness descends extra early these days in eastern Kazakhstan
the complaint was just the opposite: sunrise came too early
Photos and videos taken recently at the same time are circulating these days on social networks: when
night has fallen in the city of Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk)
the administrative center of the East Kazakhstan region
at the same time the sun is shining brightly in Aktau
Easterners are feeling particularly aggrieved by the subtraction of daylight
offering a variety of reasons for discontent
Older people complain about feeling unwell
with many citing a loss of strength and a growing sense of apathy
parents of schoolchildren who attend school in the afternoon fear for the safety of their children
teachers in Oskemen report a decrease in attention spans among students in the afternoon
“They stole daytime from us,” complained Almaty blogger Sergazy Toktarbek
who claimed he fell into a depression because of the time change
Another social network commentator said officials had committed a “crime against millions of Kazakhstanis.”
referring to Stalinist central planners in Moscow
we lived in time zones that did not correspond to the natural cycle.”
The time transition is having negative economic consequences for small business owners
especially in eastern sections of the country
the head of the Restaurateurs’ Association of the East Kazakhstan Region
said there has been a notable decline in the number of people eating out or going to entertainment venues at night
“People get more tired at work and go home to rest
who owns a chain of restaurants in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk
The number of customers has fallen by about a third
businesses’ costs are mounting: the early onset of darkness means higher electricity bills
Adamov said a crisis is brewing for the hospitality industry in Kazakhstan
and some restaurants and cafes are starting to close.
The government has so far rejected two citizens’ petitions to reverse the time change
The initiator of one of the rejected petition
that officials want a single time zone because it makes the country easier to manage
activists seem intent on pressing ahead with efforts to turn back the clock to a two time zone era
found a “simple” way to protest by manually changing her phone
Almaz Kumenov is an Almaty-based journalist
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Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy, Almasadam Satkaliev, has provided an update on the construction of three combined heat and power (CHP) plants in the Akmola
the feasibility study for the Kokshetau thermal power plant is now in its final stage
on-site preparation and clearing have already begun
We have practically started the construction of auxiliary infrastructure
we expect to finalize feasibility studies this spring and will announce the figures later,” the minister stated
Satkaliev stressed that project costs remain a critical issue for Kazakhstan
and negotiations on financing will be conducted under strict conditions
which represents Kazakhstan in these projects
Our primary financing scenario involves a loan from the Russian government with subsidization
particularly regarding the amount of financing
we will take all necessary measures to ensure the timely construction of these plants
given their importance for economic security,” he stated
On January 28, during an expanded government meeting
Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev criticized the authorities’ performance in the heat supply sector
Large-scale modernization works were carried out on the reserve field of one of the oldest stadiums in the country - “Vostok”.
The opening ceremony was held with the participation of deputy akim of East Kazakhstan region Yerbol Nurgaliyev
the KFF president Adlet Barmenkulov and partners of the project
and Kazakhstani head coach Stanislav Cherchesov held children an open training session
The main event was the match of the 26th round of QFL First League between football clubs “Altai” and “Turkistan”
“This is a great opportunity for young players
This program is a new step in the development of football in our region
now both schoolchildren and professional clubs can play on the renewed pitch
We were just thinking about holding the regional championship
and in particular Adlet Nazarbayevich for the project “ALAÑ”
deputy akim of East Kazakhstan region Yerbol Nurgaliyev said
football is considered as a big social project
we are solving the task of making grassroots accessible
The main goal is to develop grassroots football
Today I look at children and young players
their eyes are burning,'' the KFF President Adlet Barmenkulov added
A total of 20 football fields in the country are planned to be renovated as part of the ALAÑ project for 2023-2025
Ayagoz and Zhetysu region were already renovated
The opening of the next field is scheduled for September 28 at the stadium “Dostyk” in Aksu
ASTANA (TCA) — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and ASIA AVTO Kazakhstan have signed a loan agreement on financing a full-cycle car assembly plant being built in Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan) in partnership with Russia’s AvtoVAZ
Deputy Chairman of the Management Board and State Secretary at the EDB
Chairman of the Board of Directors at the BIPEK AVTO–ASIA AVTO Group of Companies
signed the agreement at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in the presence of Yves Karakatsanis
The EDB will finance equipment supplies for the welding and car body painting shops
The agreement extends a ten-year investment credit for a total of RUB 4 billion
the first phase of the facilities under construction will manufacture 60,000 cars a year
A technology park to produce car components will be launched next
As more process stages are introduced at the plant
the localization of car production will reach 50%
The share of parts manufactured in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will be around 90%
The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance represented by AvtoVAZ is a strategic partner and minority shareholder in the project
AvtoVAZ holds a blocking stake in the joint venture (25% plus one share)
The BIPEK AVTO–ASIA AVTO Group of Companies
owns 75% of shares in ASIA AVTO Kazakhstan
The principal market for plant products will be Kazakhstan
with an option to export to the EEU and Central Asia under AvtoVAZ’s control
The new plant will be the largest venture in Kazakhstan’s mechanical engineering sector and Russian-Kazakh industrial cooperation
“Two major companies of critical importance to the automotive industries of Russia and Kazakhstan have united to launch high-tech production focused on EEU markets
The project will help to develop the existing inter-country value chains and create new ones
It has already become a special undertaking in the Eurasian Development Bank’s portfolio
and it will definitely become an exemplary one in terms of its integration effect.”
“LADA’s leadership of the Eurasian Union’s market makes it possible to build our production cooperation with AvtoVAZ in a systemic fashion
the brand launched all its lines of production in Ust-Kamenogorsk
LADA’s sales in Kazakhstan have grown by 70% since the beginning of 2018.”
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial institution established in 2006 with the mission to promote economic growth in the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union
expand their trade and other economic ties
and foster Eurasian integration by means of investment
The Bank’s charter capital is US $7 billion
and its investment portfolio exceeds US $3 billion
The AvtoVAZ Group is part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and manufactures cars under four brands in full cycle: LADA
The Group has production sites in Tolyatti (AvtoVAZ) and Izhevsk (LADA Izhevsk)
The BIPEK AVTO–ASIA AVTO Group of Companies was established in 1992 and is Kazakhstan’s largest automobile holding
The group comprises the ASIA AVTO car assembly plant
as well as distributors and dealerships that sell and maintain Lada
having accounted for 30% of Kazakhstan’s car market
Kazakhstan’s ASIA AVTO car assembly plant is the largest producer of passenger cars in the country
The plant partners with the world’s leading manufacturers such as AvtoVAZ
The company’s facility in Ust-Kamenogorsk manufactures Skoda (Octavia
ASIA AVTO Kazakhstan is a joint venture set up by BIPEK AVTO–ASIA AVTO and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance represented by AvtoVAZ to construct a full-cycle car assembly plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk
The band «Nancy», one of the most famous and popular bands of the last decades, proudly announces its grandiose holiday concert. This unforgettable evening promises to become the event of the year for all fans of the band and just lovers of good music in Kazakhstan!
NANCY's concert promises to be a real «menthol extravaganza». The stage production will include incredible lighting effects, large-scale video installations and other impressive elements, creating an atmosphere of complete immersion in the world of music and emotions. The NANCY band is sure that every spectator will feel like a participant of this musical holiday, enjoying the bright sounds and drive that will fill the space of the concert hall.
The concert organisers urge all fans of NANCY and lovers of live music not to miss the opportunity to join this unique musical event. Tickets are already on sale.
©2012 - 2025 "Ticketon events" LLP
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov at a meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of CITIC Group Xi Guohua discussed the implementation of joint Kazakhstan-China projects and strengthening cooperation in energy and industry
with the participation of the Chinese company
large infrastructure projects on reconstruction of motorways of national importance are being implemented
construction and installation works on 24 sections with a total length of 1,131 kilometres are being carried out on the "Taldykorgan - Ust-Kamenogorsk" and "Karaganda - Balkhash" highways.
on the "Taldykorgan - Ust-Kamenogorsk" route the traffic on the lower layer of the pavement has been opened on 748 km out of 768 km
the balance of works on the upper layer of the pavement is 48%; "Karaganda - Balkhash highway" the traffic on the lower layer of the pavement has been opened on all 363 km
the balance of works on the upper layer of the pavement is 49%
taking into account the ambitious goals for further modernisation of road infrastructure
the parties reviewed the progress of the project to increase the capacity of the plant of CASPI BITUM LLP to 750 thousand tonnes per year
Realisation of this project will cover the demand for bitumen at the height of the construction season
the participants of the meeting emphasised their readiness to develop cooperation in agriculture
environmental protection and digital technologies.
For reference: CITIC Group Corporation was founded in 1979
CITIC Group in Kazakhstan implements projects in energy
Stay updated about the events of the Prime minister and the Government of Kazakhstan - subscribe to the official Telegram channel
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Kumar Gaurav scored 8/10 to win Oskemen Open (1800-2100) 2024
He finished a half point ahead of the competition. FM Alen Suleyev (KAZ) and Arlen Abdrashev (KAZ) scored 7.5/10 each
They were placed second and third respectively according to tie-breaks
Kumar drew with both of them in the last two rounds
The top three prizes in Open were KZT 10000000 (≈ $2000)
700000 (≈ $1400) and 500000 (≈ $1000) along with a medal and diploma each
GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR) won the Masters section
GM Jinshi Bai (CHN) secured second place 7.5/10
GM Jakhongir Vakhidov (UZB) was third 7.5/10
The top three prizes in Masters were ≈ $10400
$7300 and $5200 along with a medal and diploma each respectively
This is Kumar's fourth triumph of the year
FM Alen Suleyev (KAZ) was the only player trailing him by a half point at 7/9
Kumar drew with him to become a clear champion
Arlen Abdrashev (KAZ) defeated Bakdaulet Saidulla (KAZ) to finish third
IM Ayush Sharma became the best performing Indian in the Masters event
A total of 74 players including two IMs took part from three countries in this nine-day ten round Rating Open (1800-2100) tournament
It was organized by Kazakhstan Chess Federation at D Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University in Ust-Kamenogorsk city
The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move
Details
Kazakhstan Chess Federation: Official site, fb page and instagram
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Trucks carrying almost 600 kilograms of highly enriched uranium had just left a nuclear facility in an industrial town in eastern Kazakhstan
They were headed to the Ust-Kamenogorsk airport
military planes were waiting to carry their dangerous cargo to the United States
And those were huge trailer trucks with containers full of uranium
if one of the containers dropped or a trailer overturned
This treacherous ride was a culmination of a secret U.S.-Kazakh operation codenamed Project Sapphire
the story of its success reveals that trust between countries can make the most challenging and high-stake cooperative security initiatives a reality
In the early 1990s, as the Soviet Union collapsed and all its former republics plunged into economic crisis, the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Kazakhstan’s Ust-Kamenogorsk region fell on hard times
Most of its production lines had to be frozen
with no orders coming from Russian facilities
Ulba’s employees went without salaries for months
a fate common for most industrial plants across the vast territory of the disintegrating Soviet Union
It used to be the flagship of the Soviet nuclear industry and supplied almost half of all fuel pellets used in Soviet-type nuclear power reactors
valuable dual-use materials indispensable for space and missile programs
Kazakhstan’s leadership wasn’t keen on keeping any nuclear material: The government had made a strategic decision not to pursue a nuclear path and had no use for nuclear material
Interest in Kazakhstan’s nuclear facilities from nuclear wannabe countries added to the sense of urgency
the Kazakh government came up with a plan to offer its highly enriched uranium to a safe buyer — the United States
While the decision was taken at the highest political level
it was deliberately communicated in an informal way
a man named Vitalii Mette who had previously served as a naval officer on a Soviet nuclear submarine
They met discreetly in an office belonging to a hunting equipment company
Mette informed the American diplomats about uranium at his facility without disclosing the amount or level of enrichment
where the Kazakh parliament voted to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear-weapon state
capping two years of U.S.-Kazakh diplomacy on Kazakhstan’s nuclear future
Against the backdrop of the diplomatic success
Mette disclosed further details of Ulba’s stash
Mette’s messenger passed Weber a note which read: “U235
600 kilos.” Uranium enriched to 90 percent and in that quantity was enough to fill 20 bombs
and it sat at a facility in Kazakhstan with little protection
Foggy Bottom immediately sent an urgent request for the embassy to provide more information
but then Washington paused on the issue for an entire month
The timing provides one possible explanation
Washington was preoccupied with wrangling Ukraine into giving up nuclear weapons
and with North Korea refusing International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit its sites
Another explanation could be the challenge presented by the sheer novelty of the situation
government had to remove significant quantities of weapons-usable material produced by its former archenemy
In February of 1994, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev arrived in Washington to meet with President Clinton. During the visit, Courtney and Weber asked Nazarbayev in confidence if the United States could send a technical expert to Ulba to check the material
and that elevated the communication about the operation to the highest political level
Meanwhile, U.S. policymakers tried to determine how to move forward through the inter-agency process. Not everyone thought bringing Kazakh uranium to the United States was the best idea. Some preferred Russia to take back the material, thereby saving Washington all potential “legal
Russian Vice President Viktor Chernomyrdin told Gore the Americans could have the highly enriched uranium
Kazakhstan’s president Nazarbayev also talked to Russian President Boris Yeltsin
In October of 1994, three U.S. military C-5s cargo planes, carrying a U.S. technical team and equipment, landed in Ust-Kamenogorsk. For an operation deemed top secret, the roar of three gigantic airplanes descending at a provincial airport was hard to hide. The team consisted of 25 technical contractors
a medical doctor from the Department of Energy
and four members of the On-Site Inspection Agency
a Pentagon group that verified the destruction of nuclear missiles under the U.S.-Soviet agreement on intermediate-range nuclear forces
The team came prepared for complete self-sufficiency
including ready-to-eat meals (to cut time for lunch breaks)
The bus brought them to the site before daylight and returned them to their hotel after nightfall to minimize exposure to the public
and ingenuity of the [Department of Energy] technical team was perfect for the nature of the project: there were no technical problems that could not be handled by the team.”
writing Tom Clancy novels in our heads about what would happen if we had to go down.”
The planes landed safely in the United States, and the Kazakh uranium was loaded on “safe and secure transports.” The Pentagon’s Ashton Carter and William Perry described these trucks as “a veritable funhouse of violent tricks that immobilize
or kill anyone who tries to hijack them or tamper with them.” For added safety
they were tracked with radio beacons throughout their drive to Oak Ridge
Several factors made Project Sapphire possible: Kazakhstan’s strategic decision to pursue a non-nuclear path
and the trust between Kazakhstan and the United States
Kazakhstan had more than a thousand nuclear warheads
more than a hundred intercontinental ballistic missiles
in addition to tons of nuclear material and critical infrastructure
Kazakh leadership made a strategic decision to pursue a non-nuclear path
While the decision was crucial for the fate of nuclear weapons
it was even more consequential for the fate of nuclear material and infrastructure
The Kazakh government did not have access to command and control of weapons
but it fully controlled material and infrastructure
Had it wanted an indigenous nuclear program
Kazakhstan would have been off to a good start with the material it had
Russia not being interested in the uranium meant that Kazakhstan and the United States could proceed without any additional negotiations with Russia
It remains unclear whether top Russian nuclear officials simply forgot about the material
Maybe the few people who knew about it at the Ministry of Atomic Energy moved on and could not call attention to it
The Soviet Union’s questionable accounting practices likely didn’t help either
as no precise numbers on the amounts of nuclear material at Soviet facilities existed
having two instead of three countries dealing with a sensitive operation reduced the political and bureaucratic burden
government had never dealt with anything like this before and relied on its willingness and ability to innovate
not only about how to do it but how to pay for it
The Departments of Energy and Defense paid for their involvement in the operation
and the Department of State reimbursed Ulba for the uranium
Some of the compensation came in the form of in-kind assistance for medical facilities at Ulba and in the Semipalatinsk region that had suffered from Soviet nuclear tests
Project Sapphire supplied equipment for material protection
and computer equipment for several of Kazakhstan’s government agencies
Kazakhstan’s National Nuclear Center received patrol vehicles
The United States also contributed funding toward nuclear-science projects that paved the way for cooperative work on nuclear security in the future
Kazakhs were ready to tell Americans about other sensitive security challenges they faced
ranging from spent fuel containing tons of plutonium to unprotected samples of Soviet collections of rare infectious diseases
Togzhan Kassenova is a Washington, D.C.-based senior fellow at the Center for Policy Research (SUNY-Albany) and a nonresident fellow with the Carnegie Endowment of International Peace. She is the author of the recently released Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up the Bomb (Stanford University Press
Image: IAEA Imagebank
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By Fred Pearce
Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan
It was a nuclear disaster four times worse than Chernobyl in terms of the number of cases of acute radiation sickness
but Moscow’s complicity in covering up its effects on people’s health has remained secret until now
fallout from a Soviet nuclear weapons test at Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan engulfed the Kazakh industrial city of Ust-Kamenogorsk and put more than 600 people in hospital with radiation sickness
New Scientist can now reveal that a scientific expedition from Moscow in the aftermath of the hushed-up disaster uncovered widespread radioactive contamination and radiation sickness across the Kazakh steppes
The scientists then tracked the consequences as nuclear bomb tests continued — without telling the people affected or the outside world
The report by scientists from the Institute of Biophysics in Moscow was found in the archive of the Institute of Radiation Medicine and Ecology (IRME) in Semey
this has been a secret,” says the institute’s director Kazbek Apsalikov
who found the report and passed it on to New Scientist
which outlines “the results of a radiological study of Semipalatinsk region” and is marked “top secret”
shows for the first time just how much Soviet scientists knew at the time about the human-health disaster and the extent of the cover-up
It details how Moscow researchers on three expeditions to Ust-Kamenogorsk found widespread and persistent radioactive contamination of soil and food both there and across the towns and villages of eastern Kazakhstan
In mid-September 1956, a month after the fallout cloud hit, dose rates in Ust-Kamenogorsk were still up to 1.6 millirems per hour, a hundred times what the report deems the “permissible rate”, and what is recommended as safe by the International Commission on Radiological Protection
the expedition moved on to a number of villages
radioactive substances that affected the people and the environment fell out repeatedly for years,” the report says
The fallout there was “hazardous to health” and “more serious and dangerous than [in] the district of Ust-Kamenogorsk”
Military medical officers visiting the village after the August test had found three people with acute radiation sickness
The findings tally with previous reports of the path of the fallout clouds. In 2002, Konstantin Gordeev at the Institute of Biophysics in Moscow published a map showing that on 24 August 1956 a cloud travelled directly over both Znamenka and Ust-Kamenogorsk
a test on 12 August 1953 had sent a cloud across Karaul
which the 1956 expedition reported had consequences that were still “hazardous to health” three years later
One outcome of the scientific expeditions was the establishment of a special clinic known as a dispensary
tasked with tracking radiation and its health effects
It eventually had a register of some 100,000 people exposed to the tests and their children
The facility was known for a long time as the Anti-Brucellosis Dispensary No
“in order not to draw attention to its real activity”
which was “classified as top secret until 1991”
But according to its current chief scientist
many reports in its archives were either taken to Moscow or destroyed before the handover
recorded that 638 people were “hospitalised with radiation poisoning” in the city after the 1956 test
This was more than four times the 134 radiation cases diagnosed after the Chernobyl accident
The newly exposed report of the expeditions in 1956 and 1957 was one of the few to escape the Soviet censors that destroyed or moved other reports from the country
It found “considerable radioactive contamination of soils
vegetable cover and food” in eastern Kazakhstan
Faecal samples taken from people on a collective farm just south of Ust-Kamenogorsk contained high levels of radioactivity
which were no longer detectable between two and five days after they stopped eating local food and switched to imported food
The expedition called for a halt to eating local grain
and suggested that it was “inexpedient to conduct atomic tests (especially ground explosions) before the full harvest from fields” so the food was sheltered from the fallout
But this recommendation was evidently not acted on
Gordeev mapped the fallout trajectories of subsequent major tests in August 1957 and August 1962
saying that various changes in people’s nervous system and blood recorded by doctors
“could not be considered as the changes which arose only due to impact of ionizing radiation”
a “dreary diet” and various diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis
Atmospheric bomb tests at Semipalatinsk stopped in 1963
Although much of the area downwind is now safe to live in
“The situation in others is uncertain and potentially dangerous.”
Roman Vakulchuk of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs welcomes the new openness from Kazakhstan about the issue
The report is the first contemporary record of research into the effects of the tests on local populations
the [Soviet] government conducted no studies.”
But there is still uncertainty about the extent of continuing contamination and health impacts
“Much of the area presents no danger
but some parts need to be safeguarded indefinitely.”
Read more: Exclusive: First visit to Russia’s secret nuclear disaster site
Kazakhstan Chess Federation invites you to Oskemen Open 2024
There are two tournaments - Masters (≥ 2100 for Men and ≥1900 for Women) and Open (1800-2100)
The total prize fund in the Masters is ≈US$ 50000
provided they meet the rating criteria mentioned above
Conditions are offered to players rated above 2550
GM Aditya Mittal won two tournaments in Kazakhstan last year
Check out the article for more information
All tournament info photos are from tournament circular
The tournament will take place in Ust-Kamenogorsk city
Kazakhstan from 1st to 10th October 2024
There is only one double round on Sunday 6th October
Check out the image below for entry fee and eligibility details
The top three prizes in the Masters category are about US$ 10400
The top three Women in the Masters will receive approx
The top three Kazakhstan players will earn approx
There are seven main prizes in Open event with an additional ten prizes
The top three prizes in Open are ≈ US$ 2000
Please check the images below for complete prize details
Check the image below for information about conditions for the invited players rated above 2550
Registration
Contact details: Tournament Manager: Kishkimbayeva Assem - assem.k@kazchess.kz
GM Sethuraman S P secured a second place at Uralsk Open 2023
IM Sharan Rao finished third at Alliance MTS Rapid Stage 7 last month
Download the tournament regulations from our calendar
a city with a large ethnic Russian population in northeastern Kazakhstan
will tell you their city isn’t just a mining hub
The local club, Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk
when a team of no-name factory workers walked away with a silver medal in an all-Kazakhstan tournament
The club kept winning and quickly through shot the ranks of Soviet hockey
earning promotion to the all-union “A” league during the 1964-65 season
“He [Victor Nabokov] gave much to this city and to the game of hockey,” recalls Torpedo’s head trainer and one of the team’s all-time leading scorers
He credits such hometown heroes with establishing a passion for the game in Ust-Kamenogorsk (which is known as Oskemen in Kazakh)
despite losing many of its players to Russian teams
the Kazzinc mining company) led the nascent Kazakhstan Hockey League for 12 of its first 16 seasons
Go see a game yourself,” bemoaned the manager of a local sports apparel shop
“In the Soviet Union they were the best.” And the fading glory of hockey is not just a phenomenon at the professional level; youth participation has been declining for years
And where did it come from in the first place
The first explanation most people attribute to the Torpedo’s waning popularity and sliding record is simple: money
Better facilities and better pay have drawn players to other cities
as Astana and Karaganda have invested heavily in professional teams
Torpedo has experienced two great losses in the last decade
Knee problems forced Nabokov to close his goaltending school
And two years after leading Kazakhstan’s Olympic team to fifth place in 1998
legend Boris Alexandrov returned to head up training for the Torpedo
but was tragically killed in a car crash a year later
equipment is expensive and schools only provide modest support; parents have to provide the funds
“The cheapest item my son is wearing costs $40
And my god that boy grows so much each year
he constantly needs new gear,” says Valentin
a hockey enthusiast and father of a 13-year-old player
Most kids today would rather play video games all day.”
Not only is the Sport Palace – the Torpedoes’ home rink – available for all levels of play
the Kazakhmys mining company recently donated 175 million tenge ($1.16 million) for a new hockey rink
And rumors abound of still another rink in the works
And stars are still being bred; they’re just leaving when they reach maturity
the 16-year-old captain of one of the Torpedo’s youth teams
was recently invited to play professionally in Yaroslavl
Asked if he’d rather stay in Ust-Kamenogorsk if there were an opportunity and money
“Hockey used to be a part of the culture here
People married their daughters off to players
people raised their kids to play hockey because they loved the game,” laments Mogilnikov
“It’s different now; they want to go to the NHL and become millionaires.”
21-year-old hockey buff Mikhail Tamchinov formed a Torpedo fan club
Although he is thrilled to see the team has hired trainers who lived or played in Ust-Kamenogorsk previously
he also asserts that to increase local interest
the club needs “to create a relationship with fans and the community.”
Mogilnikov also sees a solution in youth involvement: “It’s not complicated
but more importantly we need people who love children
and love to teach them to skate at a young age.”
About one-quarter of the hockey players in the new Kazakhmys-sponsored rink are girls
10-year-olds in pink gloves and ponytails were facing off against their male counterparts
and 16-year-olds with earrings under their helmets were body-checking boys twice their size
Thirteen-year-old Nastya shrugs off the idea that hockey is a boys’ sport: “Come watch us play and then say that.”
The glory days of Ust-Kamenogorsk hockey are probably gone forever
but that doesn’t seem to bother the young players who can be found hitting a puck any night of the week in a state-of-the-art rink or sometimes just against a brick wall behind an apartment building
“Hockey is life.” Sixteen-year-old star Asetov puts it even more simply: “People like what they like
Keith Mellnick is a freelance writer and photographer currently working in Central Asia
the tournament featured 10 rounds following the Swiss system
where players competed in two divisions: "Masters," with 121 participants with ratings no lower than 1900
and "Open," which gathered 74 participants with ratings not exceeding 2100
The winner of the "Masters" tournament and the recipient of a cash prize of 5 million KZT was 29-year-old Ukrainian grandmaster Vitaliy Bernadskiy (2530)
who took an early lead and maintained his position throughout the final rounds
The second place went to Chinese grandmaster Bai Jinshi (2549)
The third place and a certificate for 2.5 million KZT were awarded to Jahongir Vakhidov (2572)
a bronze medalist of the 2024 Olympiad with the Uzbekistan team
three players were recognized with cash prizes in the categories "Best Female Performance" and "Best Kazakh Player": Russian player Yana Zhapanova (FIDE
2183) and the youngest member of Kazakhstan's national men's team
each received 1 million KZT for taking first place in their respective categories
The total prize fund for the "Masters" tournament amounted to 24 million KZT
with the top 15 players awarded cash prizes as per the regulations
The closing ceremony of the international tournament took place at the D
Distinguished guests at the closing ceremony included the Deputy Akim of the East Kazakhstan region
the First Vice-President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation
the Chairman of the KazChess branch in East Kazakhstan
where 74 participants with ratings not exceeding 2100 competed
could not penetrate the defensive structures of Kumar Gaurav (2040) from India
The Indian chess player secured first place with 8 points and received 1 million KZT
while his compatriot Arlen Abdrashev (1956)
The guaranteed prize fund for the "Open" tournament was 4.5 million KZT
with cash prizes awarded to the top 7 players
as well as winners in categories such as best results among women
It is worth noting that Oskemen Open is the second stage of the 2024 Kazakhstan Cup
the Vladimir Dvorkovich Memorial - Aktobe Open 2024
will be held in Pavlodar from October 13 to 21
The results of the Cup will be finalized during the knockout-style final in Almaty in mid-November
DKNews International News Agency is registered with the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan
a simple and stark slogan looms over the city of Oskemen: “Kazakhstan,” reads the message in giant white letters arrayed across the green slope
ostensibly to foster Kazakhstani patriotism
But now that Russian President Vladimir Putin has set himself up as the defender of Russians everywhere
and used that rationale to annex Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula
the slogan seems more pertinent than ever – at least to Kazakhstani leaders in Astana
President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s administration has stressed the promotion of tolerance and inter-ethnic harmony
Nazarbayev has succeeded in keeping the country tranquil
enabling the economy to attain an unrivaled level of growth in Central Asia
the ripple-effect created by the Ukraine crisis threatens to test the loyalties of Kazakhstan’s ethnically diverse populace
in particular the substantial ethnic Russian minority
which is concentrated in northern regions of the country
Given recent developments, boosting patriotism has rocketed up Nazarbayev’s political agenda. Highlighting the high level of concern in Astana, officials introduced amendments in early April to punish public calls for separatism with long jail terms
Separatist sentiment in the industrial northeast created a headache for Nazarbayev in the 1990s – and Oskemen was once a hotbed of intrigue
with 13 pro-Russian conspirators jailed over a separatist plot in 2000
Separatist moods ebbed as Kazakhstan consolidated its nationhood – but the scenarios playing out in Ukraine are enough to cause Nazarbayev a full-blown migraine
Russia’s justification of its annexation of Crimea on the grounds of protecting Russian speakers makes Astana jittery
22 percent of the population is ethnic Russian
with far higher ratios living along the sprawling 7,000-kilometer border with Russia
but Oskemen’s Russian-speaking community views the nationalist outbursts across the border with equanimity
“On the immutability of borders … talking about some actions being eternal is simply somewhat incorrect,” says Viktor Sharonov
“Then what call would the Scottish have to hold a referendum on separating from Great Britain?”
Sharonov was speaking on April 8 at a meeting of Oskemen-based Russian community groups attended by EurasiaNet.org
where community leaders championed the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine and denounced what they perceive as Western meddling in Russia’s backyard
see this as the desire of Western countries … to totally do the dirty on Russia once again,” Sharonov said heatedly
ultranationalists… have come to power in Kyiv,” obliging Moscow to intervene to defend Russian speakers’ rights
Russian intervention in Ukraine leaves many in Kazakhstan wondering: What if Moscow decides Russian speakers here need protection
This scenario is overwhelmingly rejected in Oskemen
where Russian speakers interviewed by EurasiaNet.org said without exception that Nazarbayev’s inclusive ethnic and linguistic policies rule it out
“The situation in Kazakhstan is completely different to Ukraine,” Vadim Obukhov
deputy head of the Russian Cultural Center
“We don’t have any confrontation between Kazakhs and Russians.”
promoting the interests of the majority Kazakhs while protecting minority rights
“this balance is being maintained very competently,” said newspaper publisher Yevgeniy Cherkashin
Nazarbayev’s pro-Kremlin stance in the Ukraine crisis is playing well in the Russian-speaking community in the north
although elsewhere critics vehemently attack it as a betrayal of national interests
“In the consciousness of many Russians the northern part of Kazakhstan is Russian territory,” Almaty-based analyst Aydos Sarym told EurasiaNet.org
this [official pro-Moscow] position is mistaken.”
In Oskemen some ethnic Kazakhs do “fear” a Russian land grab
a middle-aged Oskemen resident who declined to give his surname
Many also believe that close partnership with Russia offers Kazakhstan its best protection: Astana can best safeguard its sovereignty by acting as a friend to Moscow rather than foe
Russians questioned on Oskemen’s city streets viewed the idea of Moscow encroaching on Kazakhstan as preposterous
“I don’t think Russia’s going to grab a piece of Kazakhstan – what would it want to do that for?” puzzled engineer Viktor Chernyshev
This free trade zone is to be transformed next month into the Eurasian Economic Union
amid vociferous opposition from Kazakh nationalists and liberals who fear Russian domination
But in northeastern Kazakhstan backing for the union is rock solid
Vladimir Putin makes no secret of his nostalgia for the Soviet Union
or his vision of the union as a political vehicle promoting Russia-dominated post-Soviet integration; and some in Oskemen seem to share his dream
The union represents “a return – perhaps not entirely
but nevertheless largely – to what existed in the Soviet Union,” suggested Navozov
but perhaps not to Nazarbayev’s: he is suspicious of any political element to integration and has pledged not to cede “an iota” of Kazakhstan’s sovereignty
While looking to Russia for political and economic reference points
Oskemen’s Russian-speaking community is strongly loyal to Nazarbayev
seeing him not only as guarantor of minority rights but also as guarantor of political and social stability
president of the Russian National Cultural Center
since “in Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev is legitimately elected
and in Kazakhstan there is a legitimate government.”
Joanna Lillis is a freelance writer who specializes in Central Asia
Joanna Lillis is a journalist based in Almaty and author of Dark Shadows: Inside the Secret World of Kazakhstan
In a significant Indo-Kazakh collaboration
a CPSU under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
and Kazakhstan’s Ust-Kamenogorsk Titanium and Magnesium Plant JSC (UKTMP JSC) have inked a joint venture agreement to establish IREUK Titanium Limited
aimed at producing titanium slag in Odisha
alongside senior officials from both nations
This venture aims to strengthen India’s titanium supply chain
The joint venture aligns with India’s efforts to enhance its titanium value chain
IREL will leverage its surplus ilmenite production from Odisha
while UKTMP will supply the necessary technology for titanium slag production
The project will convert low-grade ilmenite to high-grade titanium feedstock
meeting domestic demand and boosting local employment
Mohanty highlighted the initiative as a step towards India’s titanium self-reliance
in line with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat goals
a global titanium leader supplying to aerospace giants like Boeing and Airbus
secures its raw material needs while benefiting from reduced production costs
the joint venture will increase India’s foreign exchange earnings through UKTMP’s planned off-take of titanium slag
enhancing India’s brand equity in global mineral markets
With UKTMP’s advanced titanium production technology and IREL’s high-quality mineral expertise
the joint venture will create a world-class titanium slag facility in Odisha
Expected to provide a sustainable employment boost
it will also open new avenues for India’s exports in rare earth minerals and high-quality titanium feedstock production
reinforcing the nation’s stature in the global titanium industry
Welcome to the Current Affairs Section of Adda247
If you are preparing for Government Job Exams
then it is very important for you to read the Daily Current Affairs
All the important updates based on current affairs are included in this Daily Current Affairs 2024 article
By Metro Report International2022-08-01T05:00:00+01:00
KAZAKHSTAN: Sole bidder BKM Holding of Belarus has been awarded a contract to supply trams to Öskemen
The order covers four partly low-floor AKSM-62103 four-axle vehicles costing 182·5m tenge each
The manufacturer said the vehicles would be built to a high specification
They will be supplied in the city’s navy blue and white livery
currently operates Type 71-605 trams supplied by Ust-Katav dating from around 1980
as well as Tatra KT-4D trams which were built for Berlin in 1983-85 and acquired by Almaty in 2013 before being sold to Öskemen in 2018 after the Almaty tram network closed
BELARUS: The Mazyr tramway which is owned and operated by the oil refinery which it serves is about to take delivery of its first new trams since the 20 km line opened in 1988
BKM was awarded a contract to supply 10 Type ..
RUSSIA: Belarusian manufacturer BKM has delivered the first three of 12 T811 trams for use in the city of Samara
The trams are being leased from Sberbank Leasing under a seven-year agreement worth 1·1bn roubles
The fully low-floor single-section cars have a maximum speed of 60 ..
KAZAKHSTAN: The first five of 13 used KT4Dt trams bought from Almaty for 118·5m tenge have arrived in Öskemen
The trams were built in 1983-85 and originally operated in Berlin
They have been out of use since that city’s tram network closed at ..
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Vice-president of Assembly of people of Kazakhstan of Karaganda region
patron of education Bekzat Altynbekov within the limits of a forum "Saryarka Zhastary"
has founded a personal grant to the student of historical faculty of Buketov Karaganda State University Umit Kossman for excellent progress and active participation in public works
"Our President constantly says that the future of our country is talented
We must support them in every way possible and give them the opportunity to implement all their undertakings
You are facing great opportunities and challenges”
It is not the first time that a well-known philanthropist and holder of Zhomart Zhan breastplate has established such scholarships
on January 29 in the Palace of Martial Arts of Ust-Kamenogorsk the solemn opening ceremony of the Year of Youth took place
At the youth action Mayor of Ust-Kamenogorsk Zhaksylyk Omar made a welcoming speech
Kristina Anikinova and Kalkaman Sarin were also invited to the event
Winner of the TV project "X Factor" Evgeny Vybilov
finalist of the TV project "You're Super" Vladislav Loskutov
vocal group "Incorro" and domestic cover group "Made in KZ" performed on the stage