Snezhinsk (Russian: Сне́жинск, IPA: [ˈsnʲeʐɨnsk]) is a closed town in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 48,810 (2010 Russian census); 50,451 (2002 Census).

History

The settlement began in 1955 as Residential settlement number 2, a name which it had until 1957 when it received town status. It was successively known as Kasli-2 (1957–1959), Chelyabinsk-50 (1959–1966), and Chelyabinsk-70 (1966–1993), after the relatively close city of Chelyabinsk. During the Soviet era, Snezhinsk was a closed city: it was not shown on maps and civil overflights were forbidden.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with two rural localities, incorporated as the Town of Snezhinsk—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the Town of Snezhinsk is incorporated as Snezhinsky Urban Okrug.

Science

Snezhinsk is one of two centers of the Russian nuclear program (the other is Sarov) and is built around a scientific research institute—"All-Russian Scientific Research Institute Of Technical Physics".

International relations

Snezhinsk is a sister city of Livermore, California, United States.

See also

• List of closed cities