Vozrozhdeniya Island: The Abandoned Land of Biological Contamination
By Business Today
Welcome to the mysterious and desolate island hidden in the vast desert of Central Asia, where danger lurks beneath its sandy surface. This is the untold story of Vozrozhdeniya Island (Voz), also known as “Aralsk-7,” the suspected banned testing site of the Soviet Union’s secret biological experiments.
A Forgotten Land
In the remote expanse between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, lies the gloomy and harsh landscape of Vozrozhdeniya Island. Once a thriving fishing community with lush green wetlands and an abundance of fish, it now stands as an endless salty desert. The redirection of river flows towards cotton fields has caused the Aral Sea, once a vast body of water, to shrink dramatically. All that remains today is sand and dead trees, tainted by the chemicals left behind as the sea receded.
A Perfect Secret
Vozrozhdeniya, known as “Aralsk-7” by the Soviets, was chosen for its isolation and strategic advantage. Its geographical remoteness and the surrounding Aral Sea made it an ideal location for covert activities.
The Dark Experiments
Since 1936, Vozrozhdeniya has been suspected of hosting Soviet Union’s clandestine biological research. Diseases such as anthrax, smallpox, plague, tularemia, brucellosis, and typhoid fever were extensively studied on this island. Shielded from the prying eyes of the world, it proved to be the perfect cover for such secretive endeavors.
The Threat Unveiled
In 1971, a scientist fell ill after her research vessel encountered an unidentified brown haze cloud. Despite being previously vaccinated, she was diagnosed with smallpox. Sadly, the virus spread to nine people in her hometown, including her younger brother.
The following year, in 1972, two missing fishermen were found dead on their boat, suspected to have died from the plague. Local fish populations also mysteriously began perishing.
On April 2, 1979, an invisible powder began spreading through the air from a smokestack located over a mile away from the city of Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg). Over the following weeks, about 80 people in Sverdlovsk fell ill. Initially resembling flu-like symptoms, the illness quickly escalated. People started experiencing internal organ failure and severe internal bleeding. At least 68 lives were lost in this tragic event.
It was clear that this was no ordinary disease. Rumors circulated that a biological agent had accidentally been released in the area. While the Soviet Union denied it, many believed it to be anthrax, one of the deadliest bacteria known to humanity.
The Legacy of Death
Only in 1988, nine years after the anthrax leak, did Soviet officials decide to halt their biological arsenal storage activities. Large quantities of anthrax spores mixed with disinfectant were hastily transported to the island by truck. Around 100 to 200 tons of anthrax were hastily disposed of in unmonitored and inadequately sealed pits.
That same year, a horrifying event occurred – approximately 50,000 saiga antelopes grazing nearby suddenly collapsed and died within an hour.
The sinister history of Vozrozhdeniya Island still haunts its barren shores. Once a small area amidst the vast Aral Sea, it has grown tenfold due to water diversion projects. However, as we have discussed, Vozrozhdeniya remains a hazardous place to visit, with difficulties and risks involved.
Reference: Unbelievable