GEOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE REPORT OSTROV VOZROZHDENIYA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01009A000400010003-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 30
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 29, 1999
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 1, 1953
• Content Type: IR

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GEOGRAPHIC INTFLLIGII~ICE REPORT
OSTROV VO2ROZI~ENI%A
CIA~RR-GR-22t
May X953
CEN'1'KAL INTT~LIGTNCE AGENCY
Office of R?search and Reports
.DOCUMENT NO.
CONFIDENTIAL NC cHANQE IN GLASS. Q
.i~ ~. E1 flGCLASSIFlED
,~"~','+ CLASS. CHANGED TO? S S~
NEXT REVIEW DA3E:
RUTH: HR 70-2
~~~ REVIEWER: 008514,_,'
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:?'zis material contains information affecting
ti,e Natior~~l Defense of the United States
within the. meaning of the espionage laws .
Tii~'.e 18,E i`SCe S~ecs~ 793 and 79ke then tram--
mis~sion or revelation of ~rhich in a,t~y manner
to an unauthorised person is prohibited by lawn
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.~--
TION
co~vF~a~~uriA~
COIITIJI~]TS
P~
I~+ IntgodllCtiCIII o 0 0 o a o 0 0 o a o 0 0 o e e o 0 o a? o ~.
Ito Terrain and Vegetation o 0 0 0 0 o a o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
TIIp ITeteorologicaA Conditions a? o o. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
Ao T~erature o 0 0 0 0 o e o e o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o a
Bo Precipitation a o 0 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o e
"+o Su~~ace T'H.ZId$ o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o a o 0 0? o 0 0
ile Cloud COriditian$ o o? e o 0 o e o 0 0 0 '? o 0 0 0
ro Visibi].3.ty I.~.eStrictic~ns o 0 o s o 0 0 0 0? o o e o 9
TV? Aspects of the Aral Sea in the Vicinity oS
Ostrow Vozrozhdeniya o e o o e o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10
Aa tJater Depths and Ofgshore Obstructions o 0 o e o o ]A
~o Pretra~n~ CaI'rent$ o o? o o e o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o a ~?
Vo Fopulatior and Installations o e o 0 0 o e m o 0 o m.o o
C o Sa13.nity o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o e o 0 o s o 0 0 0 0
JJo Falln3..and I'7.Ora o e a o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
VIo Transportation and Cas~muaiCatians, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
VIIo Ana],yst~ $ Mote 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2l.
~p~~IpE~;TIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
Fires 1. through 3 ~ a e ~ a Pages 22-23
.._..~..
Ilydrographic Chart of Ostrov Vozro~hdeniya, and
the Aral. Seas 1.0606~561~~ w.sth inset of Severnay~ra
~'U.~t'h't~a,~ ~.+79080 0 0 o a a o 0 0 0 o F'oll.~~ng QBLg~ ~~
CONFIDENTIAL
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Io Introductiota
CONFIDENTIAL
Thin study is a survey of selected geographic aspects of Ostrov
Vazrozhden3ya~ a sma1.1 island in the Aral Sea of Soviet Central Asian as
an aid in evaluating its suitaLility as a biological Warfare test area?
This law and generally level island is part of the Kara-Kalpatcsksyya ASSR
of the Uzbek SSR. Its vegetation and climatic characteristics place it
within the desert region of the Soviet Union. Since the island is over
30 miles from the nearest point on the mainlands isolation makes it an
ideal place far conducting HW e~eriments! the dangerous effects of which
could be easily controlled. The remoteness of the island would also
facilitate the Soviet problean of maintainir~ security restrictions.
CCNFIDENTIAL
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L'RITY itJFORt1aTIoN
no Terrain and Vegetation
Ostrow Vozroztidenlya (or3~ina1]~ called Ostrow Nikolaya) i8 one of
the 1at~est islands in the .Aral Sea, Located slightly to the west of the
center of the Aral Sea* the island is part of a sma~7.1 g~uP of islands
which. were formerly called the Tsarskiye island group,, At the Present
time the group. consists of five islands, but when the group was first
discovered s~.ightly-over a century ago, them wer? three additional
islands which are now covarad 17y waters With an area of approximately
85 square miles9 Ostrow Vozrozhden3,ya is the lamest island in the group,
Its longest dimension is about. l3 r~ilss' measured in a north??south direction
In an east-west direction the. island is approxtmately 11 miles braada
The coordinates of the center of the island are approximately ~t5'o03sN
and 590,3 ~E~ .
The island has an irragul.ar outlineD The vrestern and eastern-sides
are gvits~straight;, but the northern and southern sides arg dissected
'~ a series of caPQS and sma11 bays, In the na,st these protected Days
along the northern aMC~ southern shores have pro~,~.c?ed small uessels with
excellent shelter ~'rcn stor.~s, The three car.~~~ a~.on~ the northern shore
a,re quibc~ Zor~P The y~restern cape rieasurQS a1:rn,a.t ~~~ mi.~.es 3n lengthy
and the c:ent~?al (~~r;T: astaf3s~.":~ and eastFrr ~'`~''s T~?~st~ek) capon are
each about 7d5 r~~.~,~:,e:_~ cane c~ ~:rt.ro~r Vo~r~~hr3r~xlt.~?a Y~r
3s5 r~,i.yos E~f ;3T?a.~`I.~.a~r ~?~.~~Eer;. .(~?,r,.7.t ''A5 r7iZes r,crti~. of tie eastern cape
and dir~ctl~r e~~?~ o~ tt~a ~p o~ the central c3~ae 3s Os~cmv Chagala
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(see insert on hydrographic charts a sma11 island which is on3y about
500 yards long? Ostrow Chapala is reported to be a law islands composed
of saadstane covered bar a layer of lame limestone pebbles,
The capes along the southern shore of Ostrow Vozrozhdeniya are mach
shorter than those along the northorn side, averaging only a few hundred
yards in length, The mast prominent cape slang the southern shore is
found at the eastern tips This cape 3uts out about 2~,2 miles isi a sout~-
westerly direction toward Ostrow ~Constantins ttie fourth island of the
groupo This sandy island lies about lta5 miles off the southeastern tip
and is about 305 miles Longo Zn the interior of the island there is
ashell-studded terrace at a height of 13 feet, Slight3.y aver 105 miles
west of Ostrow Konstantin is another small islands 'the last of the groups
The name of the island is unknown, It appears to be low and of about the
same size as Ostmv Chagalao
S,Thile information concerning the terrain of Ostrow Vozrozhder~iya.
ie scanty mast of the island acppears to be a relatively level lowlands the
average elevation of which is about 75 ~ s5 feet above 'the lave]- of 'the
Aral Seao The highest elevations are found along the eastern aide of
r'fi~ Tastansuk where a series of low hills parallel the shores The hills
become slightly higkier 3xi the southern part of the ,capes where one hill
roaches an elevation of 130 feeto Even on these hills the slopes appear
to be moderates generally not in excess of 5 percent?
Vegetation oa the island consists of a sparse cover of small trees
or bushes and grasseso The largest plant on Ostrow Vozrozhdeniya is
the aakeau1? A century ago this plant formed an almost continuous covero
~-
m.
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however' the heavy roots and trunk of this half-shrubs half-tree make
excellent fuel in an environment otherwise devoid of fuel9 and most of
the saksaul was cut down long ago by the inhabitants of the islaado
At the present tame only an occasional saksau~l is likely to be found
in the interior of the island (Figure 1)o The mast abundant vegetation.
cover is located along the shore where the sue` is found admixed with
bushes of tamarisk. Other plants reported on the island include the
sand acacia (Amsnodendron conollyi)a the o z (Artemiaa)~ the glorybindy
the sea lavender9 the prostrate summer cypress' the halophytes Sal3cornia
herbacea and Ilalocnemum strobilaceum9 the ephedra4 and the Tripolium
vulgate 2lees@ For a chart period during the spring mwch of-the gray
clayey soi]. is covered by a green cover of bloosaing vegetationo Iiowever9
most o~ this vegetation dries up quickl~r as the precipitatian diminishes
and the temperatures rises The plants then remain dormant until the
roc::~ced ~~:iperaiur*:s of fallo
Data on beaches along the shore of Ostrov Vozrozhdeniya are in-
ccu~plete~ but available information indicates that a strip of beach with
a width averaging about 200 yards. .extends along the ent3.re'eastern side
of I~~ys Tastansuk. Access to much of this beach appears to be hiszdered
by a line of offshore reedso The 1935 Russian hydrographic chart
indicates the beach at I~~rs Kokchukat is sandyo
beaches appear to be poorly developed slang most of TSys Tastyubek,
On the western side of the cape there are only a few short stretches of
beacho In most places the shore rises abrupt7,y ('`rasa the edge of the
water in the forna of law bluffsa In the southern part of the cape the
~~a
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SECURITY INFORMIlTION
bluffs ranUe bettaeen 30 to ~t5 feet in hei~ht~ The bluffs. aro larUely
limestones but them are outcrops of znax?l visible in tlis side of the
bluffs, In places the marl forms an overhan~irag roof over the undea?1~ying
limesto2ie strata (Fi~xras 2~d In the northexn park of the c~~e the
bluffs are composed of sandstone and rise somewhat higher to elevatior>t-
of 70 to $5 feet (Fi~-ure 3~ A . The slopes on the eastern ~~ide of r~t+s
Tastyubek are somewhat mare gradualm The shore rises st~:adily from the
sea to the line of rid{~es on .the western side, overlook~.ng Severn~7/~
Eiukhtam Bootle of Toys Tastyubek die .eastern sYzore is marked by a lass
flat platfonrim Behind the narrow platform is a1 line of sandstone blu{''fs~
3nitial]y 25 to 30 feet highs but gradually lo~erinC southward to 12 or
15 feet Elevations on the southeastern eeipe re;~ortedly range up to
$0 feet. The cape consists largely of sandstone and shales
The eastorn half of the southern sho:^e is also marked by bluffs
(5 to ~0 feet high. The bluffs resemble a t~eries of arches and consist
of clay underlain '~ sands At the foot of t~ne bluff is a terrace ~~ith
an elevation of lla5 feet? The terraces which is composed of clay' sand
sand covered ~ a laarer of pebbles, is reporfed to be about NCO to
feet wide$
lrJest of Ostrrnr Konstantins the southern shore becomea~ lower,
Ad3acent to the water is a 2Q0 foot wide strip of level shore which is
covered by saksaulo Behi-nd 'this narrow strip of shore are low bluffs
2IJ to 12 feet highq Farther inland there is a g~~ntly rollir.~ plain
which is on1,1r slightly elevated above the level of the sea, .The inland
plain is also sparsely covered by ss~ saxx]. bushes' but those au~a~r from the
~. ~ g
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edge of the-bluffs are usually desiccated throughout most of the yearn
Several basins, about ], f t~. to 1,/2 mile im, diameters are reported about
a male and. a half inland from this portion of the shareq Sma1,1 highly
saline lakes occupy some of these baaiaaa The sail, in the basin area
is sandy, with considerable stretches of large sea shells on the surface
A dune bank stabilized by vegetation borders one of the southern lakes
and b~ (crescent-shaped migrating sand dunes} 12 to 16 feet high
are also indicated as being iri the area, The southwestern cape is loaf
and flat with a cover of tamarisk which exteada to the ad3acent seas
The western atxi northern shores are low and largely sanc~yn boat
sand dories reportedly border both sides of the northwestern carpe to a
t
width of about 1500 feetp The dunes average 10 to l2 feet in height
and are stabilized by a vegetation cover of tamarisk, saks_au~1, and the
closely related species Ammodendran karelini (sand tree), which is
locally called the kuyax~-suyeka Parts of the northwestern and north..central
capes appear to be fringed with reedsp
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SECURITY INF'ORTYATION
IIIm p~let;eorological Conditions
General
The climate of Ostmv Vozrozhdeniya is continental with very hot
summers contrasting sharply with cold winters4 PrQC~3*~ytatiori 3,s scanty
throughout the years The climate has m close counterpart 3.n North American
A? Temperature
Temperatures on Ostrow Vozrozhdeniy~ are not as severe in either
winter or summer as they are in the interior of the mainland desert
surrounding the Aral Seap Nevertheless, the difference between the
extreme heat of summer and the esctreme cold of winter may be greater
than 100oFo Absolute ma~timum temperatures for the Aral Sea Region have
ranged from 106o to mare than 113?s absolute minimums from -~33?F to 11'SP'a
Average temperatures contrast less sharply, hawevere The mean daily
teorrperatures for July9 the warmest months end Februarys the coldest
months avorage ??b and, 90, respectivelys The rage in daily temperatu:.?es
is greatost from June to September when the difference between daily
him and daily low averages 20 to 22 degrees Fo The smallest dail3r range
occurs from December to riarch when it averages lOoFo The average annual
tsAmerature on the Aral Sea is about 50oFo
'With the low temperatures of winter the relative humidity on Ostrow
Vozrozhdeniya is at a masdmum, In spring the relativ~a humidity will
also be fairly high on mark days because of showery weathers In late
summer and early fall the air is very dsy and hot, Frequently even the
comparatively cool early morn5.xig hours have law relative humiditiesa
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Subfreezing temperatures may occur an Ostrow Vozrozhdeniya as early
as October and as late as Aprils 'but the surrounding sea seldom if ever
frse~es~, e~espts perhaps in the sheltered bays which may be covered
with ice from December to Iiarchm
$? Precipitation
Atsnua3, amounts of precipitation are very small9 averagir~ only
~ to b 3.nches a year or about the same as that received in the. driest desert
regions of the southwestern United Statesm In a given Yew' rnzch of this
annual precipitation may fall in a single cloudburst, Most of the rain
falls 3.n the springs Summer is very dryo Though the total amount of
precipitation is smaller in w3-nter than in springm the frequency is sc~ae-
what greater in wintero Between plaveanber and March snow falls on an
average of 19 days a Yew` which is equivalent to 4~ Percent of the
total number of days with precipitation4 There is an intermittent cover
of snow during the course of the winterp with the ma~dmum depth seldom
reaching more than ~t inchesp
Ce Surface tririas .
Surface winds over the Aral. Sea are strong? especially during springs
The Yi3.gheet frequency of gales (wind speeds 3n access of 33 mph, ar
Beaufort force- greater- than 6) is most li.l:ely to occur in Aprilo !tales
.result in blizzard canditions during winter ark dust storms durf.ng the
summero East winds predominate in spring and northwest in summers
Zdesterlies followed ixi frequency by northeasterlies are characteristic
3si fallo In win~aer the surface ~ri.nd.s are equally high i.n frequency from
~, quadrants eaecept the northwestern o~ae4
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. s ~ cvRtTY ar~z~oR~~rnTZOra
Da Cloud COnd~.tions
t?7inter and spring are the cloucliest parts of the year Cloudy
and partly cloudy days average (roan 21 to 2t~ days a month in December
January and February9 aad 21 clays 3.n Apr31a Summer has the least
cloudiness and the greatest number of clear dayso In Au~ust9 the month
with the least cloudinesse the average is only one clouc~- and nine
partly cloudy daysa Low, often. continuous sheets of stratus clouds
typif~r~ the slsy cover in fa119 winter, and early springs while a broken
cover of cu2nu].us is usual in late springs Summer cloudiness usually
consists of the bill.o~ring, cumulus type,
E? Vis~ .Y R
Fogs and dust haze are the principal restrictions to visibi].itya
In contrast to the surrounding lands fogs ~V occur on the Aral Sea
throughout most of the yearn However, the frequency of fogs in winter
is much higher than it 3.S in summers The January average i~ 600, the
July Om2~ Fogs in both April and October average la2a
Over the Aral Sea dust haze is common throughout the yearq Laren
when th:e sIty is clear of clouds the high content of dust i.n the air
gives a hazy apperance to the atmosphere aa~ the islands A zridespread
sno~r cower in winter and rain in spring aid soanewhat in settl3.ng the
dusts
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SECURITY It1FORMAxI01~
IVo Aspects of the Aral Sea in the Vicinity of Ostrov Vozro~thden~yst
Aa Water Depths and Offshore Obstructions
Water depths in the vicinity of Ostrov Vozrozhdeniya are all less
than 60 feet except along the eastern side, where depths in excess of
60 feet ar+a found within a short distance (roughly 2 miles) of the. outer
side of I~~*ys Tastg~ubek? Offshore bottom slopes elsewhere along the
periphery appear to be general],y gentle@
In the Severnaya Bukhta depths range from 3 to 5ti,feeto .Along most.
of the eastern side of the inlet deep water is found close to shored
By contrasts the western and southern sides of the inlet axe characterized
by more gentle beach gradientsg Aline of reeds fringe much of the
western and southern shoreline. South of the settlement of Karachek the
belt of -reeds attains its greatest widths measuring well over 1000 feety
Thare appear to be few offshore obstructions in the vicinity of the
islando A sandstonerock is reported about 200 yards from the bluffs
along the eastern half of the southern shore? The rock measuros about
feet in lengths ~d Pm3eC~ about 1d5 feet above the surface of the
waters
A line of shallows extends uninterruptedl~r from the northwestern
cape of Ostrov Vozroshden.~yz to Ostrnv Somsomoleta (Kameomolrsk3y)o
On the southern side of the island shallow areas are found in se~reral
areas .~ 3utting from the southeastern capes surrounding Ostx~ov Konstantixt~
.and between Ostrov Konstantin and the southwestern tip of Ostrov VoarozhdeniyaQ
The nature of the sea bottom surrounding the island is predominant]y
mtud or sands Aid is the more charactex~.stic bottom sedamant e~ocept for
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SECURITY INFORA7ATION
the sanely stretches along the western side of Ostrow Dozraz~tdeniyas and
im~ediately south of Ostrow Konstantino
Iio Prevailing Currents
The prevailing currents of the Aral Sea move in a clockwise direction
Ostrow Vozrozhdeniya is located in the area. in which currents from the
south pr8dominateo Near the mainland west of the island the current moves
northward at a velocity of Oa7 miles per hours carrying water made partly
fresh by the inflow from the Amni Dar~ya~ Another current runs from the
mouths. of the Syr Darya southward along the western shoreQ
C,~ Salmi
'here is very 13ttle vertical circulation of the water in the Aral
Seaq As a result9 the salinity of the surface layers of water is compar-
atively law: with rapid increase in both salinity and specific gravity
with depth? In the bottom layers of water in the central part of the
sea east of Ostrnv Vozrorhdeniyas where salinity is at a maxinnuns the
salt content does not exceed 10 to 11 grams per kilogram of waters oz-
less than one~thiz~d as much as the oceano In general'~the salinity also
increases with distance from the mainland, The water surrounding Ostrow
Vozroahdeniya is fresh. or only slightly brackish at the surfaces but
.becomes saltier with depth0
D~ Fauna and Flora
.Anima]. life on Ostrow Vozrozhden3ya is quite manager, Mammals
native to the island include the saiga antelopaa, wolves, foaa~ss hedge~hogss
and mices but it is doubtful if antelope or wolves exist on the island
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SEGLTRITi' I1VI'OR2~`ATZO~i
a ieeses ducksg shore birdsg storksg seagulls and magpies are e
characteristic birels, Of the reptiles-there are several varieties of
lizards ~. Cynrnodactylus ru.ssowi StrPg Phzynocephalus helioscopus Pall?~
J~remias velox Pally;.several snakes -~ Taphrom{etopon lineolatiun Brdtsg?
Coluber dione calla?~ Ancistrodon halt's Pall?; and one tortoise ~-'1'eBtudO
hor~fieldi Grey? There is also the scorpion, Euthus eupeus thersites
Ca Kor.1a and the weasel-spider Galeodes caspius Bir, Amon; the insects
aro the butterflies -- Colias erate Iaspmg Sathyrus anthe Os~p and Lycaena
clvira }sv?; and manly varieties o# ants -- Camponotus maculates turkestanus
,~ndo~ T~2iUecf?cystus cursor tancrei Fora varm caspius ~tuzslsyg Crematoast~r
subdent~la Tiayr~ 1lessor barbatus capitatus vat, meridionalis Andre;
and the bug -- Poophilus turanicus Osha
The fauna of the Aral Sea is also relatively poor i.n varietys
only seven species of mollusks, 18 fish,, and one amphipod have been
lista~d by the Soviet geographer' Bergo In all9 there are 93 species of
#aunag of which only a relatively small rna.mber have been found in waters
close to the islands The protozoans found near the island included three
1)ino#lagellata (Psri.d~niales) -- Exuviaella lima Butschlig Prorocentrum
obtusum?Ostf,~g Peridiniurn subsalsum OstfQ; one worm (Rotatoria) --?
Pedalion o~nix,e ~ernow; or.~ Arthropods (Copepods) -- Ectinosoma ed~rardsi
Ricl~s; one insect (Ilemiptera) -~ Corixa- nigrolineata Fiebfl; two mol3usl~
~~ Dreissena;pallasi Andrusovg I~?drobia pusilla Eichwog ten fish
Aczpensor nnidiventris Lovetzkyg Cyprinus carpio Ldg Pathos bulatmai
conoceprialus Kessla$ Leuciscus =uti].us Log Aspiua aspics ezythrostomus
~esslag- A1.burnus chalcoi.des G~..d?g Abramis brama Las Silures glanis Lag
Pg~osteus platygaster aralensesg and Lucioperca lucioperca Lo No amphib3~
or ~se~~eo~eawae~(~~~3~o~A7U3~~000400010003-4
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SECURITY Zl`iFORt~.ATTON
According `~ Bergs the flora of the Arai. Sea is character3.$ec~ by
rid algae (Rhodaphycsae) and the salt t~~ater vax?ieties of diatomsa Tl~:s
green algae (Chlorophyceae) include only one endemic forma To],ypella
aralicao In all thc;re are 137 plant forms, Of this number three Sch~.zn~
pY~ycae (g~~rx~opbyceae) -- Chroococcu.9 limneticus Lenmta vary, r~ubsa~.ua~ Lt?s
Ch2mcacoccus minimus Keissl? Lemmas Aphanocapsa grevillei Rabenll,; faze
Bacillariales (Diatomeae) ~ Coscenodiscus aralensis Dstf~,~ Actin?eyc:lu?a
ehrenbe.~g,3. Ralf'sd~ Chaetoceras wighami Brightw~~ Chaetoceras subtile
ClevQ~. Navicula humerosa Breba~ Amphora lineolata Kf~taw' Ep~.them3-a sox
It~tzQB Epithemia musculus K~"xtzo~ Bacillaria pasadoxa Gmela~ P3itzschia:
~~rybliot~ella} circumsuta Bailof seven Chloroplrfceae --. Oocystis nae~;el~.
Ab Br? $ r,~ocystis socialis dstf es LTlothrix (FIormiscis) ~plexa ~i .tom, bQ
Submarine (ICut~o~ R.abenha~, Cladophoxa Erects Kutze vats normalis R.:~be~a~
?A
Clasiophoxa glaucescens ~I~o~ Cladophora~ comatula R~.tzo A6 normal~:9
I~ut~o~ Cladophora conglobata K~tzq; and seven Rhodophyceae -- Po1y~33phon3a.
7Cibrata T;atxw'a~ ~e~],ysiphonia violacea Grove?~ T'o3,ysip~ion3a el.n~olla ,
Har^~a~, Polyt~3phonia ~ar~ata Jo Agog Po2ygipF~ania fruticulosa Spxsnga?ff
Polysiphonia dichotomy K~tz~, Brognartella byssoides Schmitz9 s~rere foutyd
mar C~trov Vozrs>shden3ya~
~~~
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Vo Population and Installations
Isolation, the paucity of natural resources, and the dese~-t climate
nf.aka Ostrov 4'o~ro~hdeniya of extremely limited value for human settlemento
Ira the last part of the 19th century, these features induced a group of
Russian Orthodox religious dissenters (Raskol'niki) to build a hermitage
ass the islando However, their efforts to settle on t~ze island were de-
seated by a storm which wrecked orae of their boats, and the sudden
unexplained de~.th cif ttze tavo members who did manage to reach the island
in the second boats
The slight economic importance the island has had in thze past was
based initially upon the nurz~erous herds of saiga antelope; and ~.ater
ui~on the good fishing around its .shoresm In the 1850's arzd the 18y0's
the horns of the- saiga antelope commanded high ~-ricer, and antelopF on
the island were ruthlessly huntede 13y the beginning of the 20th eeszt~sry
they were reported to be completely exterminated
In 1923 and 192ts. the Soviet goversa~nent used the island as a place
af' exile , I n the- early 1930 ? s the island was apparently ag~~in used as
a place of uana shore nt@-this firms for the kulaks x the s o~ca~Lled "rich"
agricultural peasants whose possessions were liquidated i n the agri?
cultural collect3.vi~ation drive,
F'Y?iox? to 1936, a few fishing farniiies were the only voluntary
peg?manent settlers on tr.e islands 'Whey v~re apparently congregated
around the western side of Severnaya iiuktzta, ~~rirsarily in the two
~'i:~hirzg villages of Kantyubek and ~aracheck9 both of wl..ch -were ap~aarent.;vy
~.I ~
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~;>A~;.:rii.~i;cY .~:= si~~;te-~c~k~~?ai~c:d fishezies~ ~;~r~rl~ the f~.sa-~.n,~ season
a?~9~k.~_t.larlal T'ishermen fl^cxsi Araltsac ar?d b~tuynak arr:~~ed c~ri the ~.s.Lanct~
x~usiz~lls wr~:re the darr;i.narct etk~e~.c gi?au~; arr~ang the f~_stler~~~ane.
1, "., tk~r;t ticnr; k,.4re: f'lsher'r~en ;o:~ (_?strav- 'do~razkl~i~niya accca~lrlte~f far a
c~~nsi~i~:rahlcs k~~Xra};art~.on ~;sler~..f'iaal~ky, an average of 774 percent
far. t,r.~e ~rc~~i 1~~~9~-ly~~) of the Aral Sea hnrri:i~; etch: in ea~;h
~k" t:h~r ;y-ear:, ~.`~3:L~19;,i? the annual. ~.a.teh a2.? }rerr~.rlg alarl~; trhe. sh~~res
~r' t~-:e: isl.arlci wars aver ].~ Canso Carp, brea,~,~ grid r~aackl ~-rere
~.;r???oF: athe;~ +:,arr:r,eric~~l fish uarieta.es obtairlcck :in Sriu3,l.~le~:r quarti#~ erz
a.~1 t~::.e a~?ea,. H.ert?ir~; #`ishirlg xcas rli~;tlly setilsaclal in c~~lara.vter, ,v3t?1
a:r~~ y~ ,,~:rc?~:c4.t of tkae annua;k. catcrl raein~; o~t2:;.nsci iIl ks:rlty and Jane~>
~.r~arm~~tian reg~.s~iing e~ePits after. .E.`,3:3~ as sx.tx?er~e.::y sket~~.hy
ass=~ a.s d!~perxdent large:).y u~xsn ~:arld rar lZ (=errr~arl dcc:uruc~nts art
ira4~erT?Q~atlarl:~ of ~cstTiet pr? sorers c,~f Yaar~ A~~corczi.rlg ~.+,:c~ these Ger~
~,~
+t~zi.rl scaurres, k;k~e entire pa};ua.atian,~? Uath ,rcluntary allci inuo,.xln-
t:=~_~' ~ wa~~ .rr~:~ve;d ai`T tree islarlct in iy:36 and ~:s,s replaced k,y a :~?au~:~
Urc~ry ~fT"tkc~se vrurce.s estirrtate.~ tide dspar?ted r,a~,ul:;~ior~ as :.~a:ing
:~tlch a lar~~e: f'i~~ux~: a~}.ea~?:> to k?e ~+xtx?en;~ly :i.llc.~t:ik'~!r~_~,1?'. v~ith
tf~_~: clir:~~tE, tAle ~~kly:~ic,al s:he~n as ti~.so
i?~~parently this sa1nP s:;uz?ce is the autklarit;,r for the r?E.~>art j:~h~lt un-~
auaklcsrizeti x:er'~urls are su,?~~sediy )3rahiL~itea zrom ar~prnactlin~; ~:slaser
;~k"nar~. ~Q ki.k..o~ipters ~ U miles .frcxr: the islan~~o `T'his rr tricted zolr.e
~a~?~r~s far tars zrrc~rd~ it v~.nuid materia?ly tel~gthen the main Aral. Sea
~~ktig: raute discussed a.r the section an 'Trans.:rrtatiarl ~~rld ~c,m~;:crA~.?aca~.
~~:.~rrl~r e: -x11(1 iNi:+U Lc;c ~ . ~C+ in::lude 3 paT`Clan [~' t~"lE:~ .EA~1fL1_8r?(~ t4 '31~ Vs~S"~
,, r' ~:;txe a".alaaca, f`:n~:,~vn,f~r~ exaF?~:e.~^atec~ figure f ~urld in these ~e.~rrrrr~
;;j.~~?aeS ~;a_rlv~rrk~ e.s`rc, aize of tn~: test :;ite cn tJstrav V uc:r:~zhd.~.3.y~x~
?~ ~arf,c:t ai' 1t.>r~d rr:~..~~urin.P; aNproxmately lOACX)t) sckuare kc~.l~ametF,z's xua:~
a'r^~xat?k;ecilyP set 3s,~.d~; ~'~~r~)31'd fiv.Ldt~esting, ~vherer,s the actual ~~r?er~ i~>f
`R"''~'" 1.~S~..i"SACi 15 L~r'ta.~J L~f:7i~t ?S.l~ to ,t?34? Sgtl.c3r~ kcilpmetser"+90
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of Bj~a techn~.cians of the ~iocheanical Institute of the R.ed Axxr,,y
(subsequently renamed the ~3iatechatical institute of the R~;d Araly) o
't'he island was made a restricted area in which these techr.~icians
reportedly carried out field research on the, dissearaination of
tularemia, plague, and other diseases in the sutna-ers of '.936 and
193 ~'a Apparently several methods of disseminating the c'.Isease were
te;ated, including experiments with both mechanical dev~.bes and
anim~ls~prairie rats and possibly susliki (a species of ground
squirrel whose Fleas could transmit pla{;ue) ~ At the time of, these
experiments the Institute was reportedly assigned onz2 0
;;~>
y
S
FO
~~
~
~ ?
OLE
Y
(l
e
OZERO YY
~~~
~- 1.
1.,..:
~ #
CITSS~,Z~ ~. ..'., ~.~~.......
a MYS
l UL'KUN-TUMSUK ;
OSTROV
VOZROZHDENIYA
ARAL SEA
SCALE, 1:606,564 AT PARALLEL 45?N.
Depths in fathoms
Compass variation for 1935; annual increase 2'
Compiled in 1850, based on surveys of 1848-1849
Major corrections in 1927
Minor corrections in 1929, 1933, 1935
Published in 1935
OSTROV m
eELLINGSGAUZE~N
From Hydrographlc Chart ARAL'SKOYE MORE,
published by Gidrograficheskly Otdel UMS, RKKA, USSR 1935.
v1 Sex ((
t _$(yiy
ZALIv
~ a .e
TALOYK
8 .
OSTROV :S = u
x? KOMSQMOLETS e L? 3 g '_ ' N R
s i~
s, r? OSTROV ,_
a(' VOZROZHDEN~IYA
!I/' Compass Variation
r ]?45'E
J ? J
l
? a 4 r
OSTRO Hr ti /S~u '~~.,. ad .s1 x `r
TAKMAK ATY-'f ~' vy ~+ Compass Var at an ]?30'E.
>K a
zALrv
a
F
OSTROV
MEN'SHIKOV
S
if ~, '
iJ ~1 ?
SEVERNAYA BUKHTA
(On Ogtrov Vozrozhdeniya)
Depths in feet
Contour interval 14 feet
Spot elevations in feet above Aral Sea level
Compass variation 7?45'E; annual increase 2~
Compiled in 1927, based on surveys of 1921
Scale 1:73,080
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CONFIDENTIAL
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