Semipalatinsk test site: history, nuclear tests and consequences

Abstract

The Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was one of the largest nuclear weapons testing grounds in the world. More than 40 years of activity of the Semipalatinsk test site is one of the stages in the history of the arms race of the former Soviet Union. Kazakh scientific literature on the history of the Semipalatinsk test site is still very scarce, there are no comprehensive works. The main reason for this can be called limited access to archival materials and the strict secrecy of the chosen topic. Nuclear weapons tests in Semipalatinsk led to the contamination of water and land resources, contributed to a reduction in the scale of the economy, which led
to the emigration of the able-bodied population, the weakening of state social structures, which turned out to be unable to support the most vulnerable and sick people. Therefore, the creation of an adequate system of social protection for the rehabilitation of the vital forces of the population and the living space of these regions is especially important. In this regard, the article discusses the history of the creation of the Semipalatinsk test site, provides information about the consequences of nuclear weapons testing in the period 1949–1989.