Russia returns 90% of Taisoigan missile firing range back to Kazakhstan

By Murat Sultangaliev

Last week during his visit to Atyrau Sarsenbai Ensegenov, the Deputy of the Senate of RoK Parliament, informed about reduction of the missile firing range located in Kyzylkoga District of Atyrau Oblast by 80%. The range is used by the Russian military as per the contract.

On February 6, 2015 President of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev signed the decree "On signing of the Protocol “About Changes and Additions to the Agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on the Use of the 929 State Flight-Test Center (the Facilities and Fighting Fields Located on the Territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan) of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation dated January 20, 1995”.

The Agreement concerns the Taisoigan missile firing range located on the territory of the West Kazakhstan and Atyrau Oblasts.

According to the Senator, the presidential decree summed up the result of three years' work of rural, district, regional government offices, of the Ministries of Defence of two countries. The teams worked on determining of the areas established during the Soviet years, but nowadays they are almost not used by the Russian military.

The work on returning of lands ,perspective for oil production and agriculture, was conducted with the active participation of the Deputy S. Ensegenov.

In Atyrau Oblast the firing range occupies the third part of the territory of the Kyzylkoga Distrct. The range also includes the military unit in the settlement of Akzhar near Atyrau and the territory of Sarymayshagyl village in Inder District. After the enforcement of the Agreement the area of the range will decrease by 80%. The fragments of rockets will fall on unused saline grounds.

The signing of the Agreement by Ministers of Defence of two countries is scheduled for the end of March.