CABAR.asia says authorities of Tajikistan intend to decontaminate millions of tons of radioactive waste in the Istiqlol city with the assistance of a Russian company.  This is uranium waste produced while making the Soviet Union’s first atomic bomb, however, it still affects the residents of this city in Tajikistan.

The city of Istiqlol (previously, Taboshar) is located 350 kilometers from the capital of Tajikistan and is known mainly for the uranium waste stored there.  According to media reports, uranium was mined in Istiqlol for making the first nuclear bomb of the USSR.

When a CABAR.asia’s reporter arrived in Istiqlol in May 2024, he reportedly felt a headache and burning in his throat about 2-3 hours after entering the city.

To find out what was wrong, the reporter visited a hospital in the Istiqlol city center.  He told about his health condition to the duty medical officer at the entrance of the hospital, as well as that he had just arrived in the city and that his head and throat hurt.

“What did you expect? There is uranium here. Uranium! That is why you people, those who just arrived, are feeling its effect,” the duty medical officer replied.

Not satisfied with this answer, the reporter asked another doctor to examine him and check his condition. Two doctors came to him, checked his blood pressure, it was normal, but his head still hurt, and throat was burning.  When these two doctors found out that he had just arrived in the city, they said that the reason for his headache and burning throat was due to high levels of radiation.

Authorities reportedly claim they are taking measures.

On July 25, 2024, during a news conference, the Mayor of Istiqlol city Qayum Mahmoudzoda announced that agreements had been reached with the Russian company Rosatom, which will decontaminate radioactive waste.

Mahmoudzoda told about the details of the agreement.  It was reportedly decided to begin decontamination work at the end of this year, including at the Taboshar-3 landfill, which is located on 3 hectares and contains more than 1 million tons of radioactive waste.

In March 2023, Tajik president’s official website said that the area of ​​uranium storage sites in Istiqlol was 7.5 hectares, and the height of the waste was previously 65 meters.  According to the source, the height of the uranium waste storage sites will be reduced to 30 meters, and they will be covered with stones, gravel, and soil.

In October 2023, during a government meeting, the Tajik authorities announced that part of the uranium waste in Istiqlol had already been covered.

According to Istiqlol Mayor Qayum Mahmoudzoda, Russian media reported that the Russian company Rosatom had completed the storage of about 2 million tons of uranium waste for 700 million Russian rubles ($7.6 million).

However, apparently, this is a very small part of the waste storage sites.  RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported in April 2012 that there are up to 50 million tons of uranium waste in Istiqlol city.

In May this year, a CABAR.asia’s reporter visited the radioactive waste disposal site in Istiqlol.

The territory around the waste storage site covered in soil and sand is fenced with barbed wire. The tops of these storage sites are apparently covered with gravel. There was no one near the storage site, so it was possible to climb over the barbed wire. However, the local driver who brought him here advised against it for safety purposes.  Inside the uranium storage site, there was a tin building that looked like a warehouse. The driver said that this building is used to decontaminate the vehicles that carry the uranium waste.

Representatives of the Istiqlol city administration, including Mayor Qayum Mahmoudzoda, promise residents that work on full storage will begin by the end of 2024.

However, radioactive waste and concerns about high radiation levels have led some residents to abandon the idea of ​​living in Istiqlol.

Istiqlol is perhaps one of the few places in Tajikistan where there are houses abandoned by their owners. Mayor Qayum Mahmoudov said they have compiled a list of 50 abandoned houses in the city and intend to distribute them to those in need.

However, people, who have nowhere to go, are forced to remain living in this city amid high radiation.  Dom of them say they do not have funds to buy a house elsewhere. 

Istiqlol is a city in Tajikistan, located in Sughd province.  Istiqlol is a city of regional subordination, administratively subordinated to the regional capital of Khujand.

The first Soviet uranium mine was established in Taboshar during the Second World War.  Taboshar was the first of many officially secret Soviet closed cities related to uranium mining and production. In 2022, a contract was agreed for a subsidiary of TVEL to reclaim land on the 8 ha tailings dump, which contains 1.12×10⁶ m³ of material.  In 2020, the population of Istiqlol is estimated at 17,600.