'Like An Undeclared War': Russia's Toxic Test Sites In Kazakhstan
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In Kazakhstan, villagers living close to military test sites struggle with "mysterious" illnesses and a toxic nuclear legacy. For 40 years, the Semipalatinsk test site was a massive experiment on the effects of nuclear explosions on land, water, animals, and people. Even after its closure in 1991, Kazakhstan leased territories to Russia to test modern weapons. Thousands live near the borders of the test sites. Many live on contaminated land and struggle with illnesses.