#astana
Founded in 1956, the village was a model example of a Soviet-style oasis in the otherwise desolate desert. Within a few years, residential buildings, shops, schools, hospitals, and various businesses were built. The town's mainstay was the Aksuek mine. With the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the mine was closed, and within a few years, the village fell into complete disrepair. Currently, out of a population of 11,000, only 1,500 remain, mostly pensioners. It's a truly epic and sad sight—someone's life and youth was wasted here. It's so good I came here and filmed a video—see how people lived. Maybe someone will see their birthplace.