Kazakhstan marks 35 years since closing Semipalatinsk nuclear test site
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Kazakhstan on August 29 marks the 35th anniversary of closing the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, where 456 nuclear explosions were conducted from 1949 to 1989. The date is also observed as the UN International Day against Nuclear Tests, established by General Assembly resolution 64/35 in 2009. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called on nuclear-armed states to commit to eliminating nuclear weapons by 2045.
Key Facts
- The Semipalatinsk test site hosted 456 nuclear explosions between 1949 and 1989, including the first Soviet nuclear test on August 29, 1949.
- An estimated 1.5 million residents of the region experienced radiation exposure linked to increased cancer rates and congenital pathologies.
- President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed Decree No. 409 closing the test site on August 29, 1991, the first legal ban on nuclear testing in history.
- The UN General Assembly adopted resolution 64/35 on December 2, 2009, declaring August 29 the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
- President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told the UN General Assembly that Kazakhstan urges nuclear-armed states to commit to eliminating nuclear weapons by 2045.
Test Site Legacy
The Semipalatinsk test site was established in 1949 for the first Soviet nuclear device test, conducted on August 29, 1949. Over 40 years, 456 nuclear explosions were carried out at the site, including both atmospheric and underground tests. Experts estimate about 1.5 million people in the region suffered radiation exposure, leading to higher rates of cancer, birth defects, and other health problems.
Closure and International Recognition
On August 29, 1991, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed Decree No. 409 closing the Semipalatinsk test site, 42 years after the first explosion. Kazakhstan became the first country to voluntarily and unilaterally renounce one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals and close its test site. In 2009, Nazarbayev proposed declaring August 29 a World Day for the Renunciation of Nuclear Weapons during the 20th anniversary commemoration. The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 64/35 on December 2, 2009, establishing the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
Current Position and Rehabilitation
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, addressing the UN General Assembly, called on nuclear-armed states to commit to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons by 2045. Kazakhstan has developed a legislative framework, accumulated scientific and medical data, and conducted large-scale studies of the former test site territory. A roundtable titled '35 Years of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site Closure: Memory, Responsibility, Future' was held in the Senate with participation from state bodies, the Constitutional Court, scientific and medical communities, the National Nuclear Center, Abai region, and public organizations.
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Kazakhstan marks 35 years since closing Semipalatinsk nuclear test site
