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The Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) was the primary testing venue for the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons. It is located on the steppe in northeast Kazakhstan (previously the Kazakh SSR), south of the valley of the Irtysh River. The scientific buildings for the test site were located around 150 km of west of the town of Semipalatinsk (later renamed Semey), near the border of East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar Region with most of the nuclear tests taking place at various sites further to the west and south, some as far as into Karagandy Region.
The site is also well known by its postcode Semipalatinsk-21 (it was common practice for secret Soviet installations to refer to only by nondescript postcode), the Semipalatinsk Polygon, and latter the National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan.
Semipalatinsk nuclear test site is the first and one of the largest Soviet nuclear test sites, also known as "SIYAP - Semipalatinsk nuclear testing ground" [1].
The testing ground is located in Kazakhstan on the border of the Semipalatinsk (now East Kazakhstan), Pavlodar and Karaganda regions, in 130 km north-west of Semipalatinsk, on the left bank of the Irtysh River.
Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was established by the Council of Ministers of the USSR on 21st of August, 1 947. The location was chosen in the area of the Irtysh River, in 170 km west of Semipalatinsk. The testing was located in three areas: Semipalatinsk, Pavlodar and Karaganda [2].
According to the resolution of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers there was established Mountain seismic station (object 905), which in 1948 was renamed into Training Ground of the Ministry of the USSR Armed Forces, and then into the State Central Scientific Research Testing Range N2 (GOSTSNIIP 2). The first elements of the testing ground (military unit 52605) began to redeploy to the build-up area on 1st of June, 1948. Preparation works for the tests at the site were completed in July, 1949 [3].
In 1949, nuclear weapon was tested on the site for the first time. The country's leadership has sought at all costs to expedite testing of the first atomic bomb; scientists have chosen to copy the American nuclear device.
By 1946, nuclear scientist Hariton had prepared the tactical-technical requirements...