Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
At a symbolic walk at UN Headquarters in New York, nuclear testing survivor and artist Karipbek Kuyukov shared a powerful message against nuclear suffering, reflecting on the impact of tests at the Semipalatinsk site in Kazakhstan. Kuyukov, born without arms due to radiation exposure, was among those advocating for disarmament ahead of the International Day against Nuclear Tests on 29 August.
From 1949 to 1989, 456 nuclear tests were conducted at Semipalatinsk, exposing local populations to high radiation levels with lasting generational effects. Kuyukov described how his parents directly witnessed these tests and recalled Kazakhstan's nationwide protest, which fostered a major anti-nuclear movement that gained international momentum.
The Semipalatinsk site was officially closed on 29 August 1991, a date later designated by the UN General Assembly as the International Day against Nuclear Tests at Kazakhstan's initiative. Kuyukov called this closure a proud milestone for Kazakhstan and a model for other nations.
At the event, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu emphasized that the end of nuclear testing at Semipalatinsk resulted from the determined efforts of individuals, communities, and leaders opposing nuclear tests. This day marks 35 years since the closure, encouraging ongoing progress toward nuclear disarmament.