Which country did Chelyabinsk belong to in Aug 1996?
Chelyabinsk Chelyabinsk ( ) is a city and the administrative center of Chelyabinsk Oblast , Russia . It is the seventh-largest city in Russia by population , with 1,130,132 inhabitants as of the 2010 Census , and the second largest city in the Ural Federal District , after Yekaterinburg . Located in the northeast of the oblast , south of Yekaterinburg , the city is just to the east of the Ural Mountains . It sits on the Miass River , part of the border between Europe and Asia . The area of Chelyabinsk contained the ancient settlement of Arkaim , which belonged to the Sintashta culture . In 1736 , a fortress by the name of Chelyaba was founded on the site of a Bashkir village . Chelyabinsk was granted town status by 1787 . Chelyabinsk began to grow rapidly by the early 20th century as a result of the construction of railway links to European Russia and Siberia , including the Trans-Siberian Railway . Its population reached 70,000 by 1917 . Under the Soviet Union , Chelyabinsk became a major industrial centre during the 1930s . The Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant was built in 1933 . During World War II , the city was a major contributor to the manufacture of tanks and ammunition . Chelyabinsk remains an important industrial centre , especially heavy industries such as metallurgy and military production . It is home to several educational institutions , mainly South Ural State University and Chelyabinsk State University . In 2013 , the Chelyabinsk meteor exploded over the Ural Mountains , with fragments falling into and near the city . The blast of the explosion caused many hundreds of injuries , some of them serious , mostly caused by glass fragments from shattered windows . The Chelyabinsk Regional Museum contains fragments of the meteorite . History . Ancient Sintashta civilization . Archaeologists have discovered ruins of the ancient town of Arkaim in the vicinity of the city of Chelyabinsk . Ruins and artifacts in Arkaim and other sites in the region indicate a relatively advanced civilization existing in the area since the 2nd millennium BCE , which was of proto-Indo-Iranian origin . The Arkaim site , located in the Sintashta-Petrovka cultural area , was known by Russian archaeologists for at least 70 years , however it was mostly ignored by non-Russian anthropological circles . The borders of the Sintashta-Petrovka cultural area run along the eastern Urals of the Eurasian steppe to about 400 km south of Chelyabinsk and to the east for about 200 km . 23 archaeological sites are recognized as being part of this area . The sites resemble towns , laid out in round , square , or oval shapes . Although most of the sites have been discovered by aerial photography , only two , Arkaim and Sintashta , have been thoroughly excavated . These sites are characterized by their fortification , connected houses , and extensive evidence of metallurgy . The people of the Sintashta culture are thought to have spoken Proto-Indo-Iranian , the ancestor of the Indo-Iranian language family . This identification is based primarily on similarities between their language in comparison to sections of the Rigveda , and based on funerary rituals of the Sintashta culture , as revealed by archaeological studies in the area . Modern Russian history . The fortress of Chelyaba , from which the city takes its name , was founded at the location of the Bashkir village of Chelyaby ( ) by colonel Alexey ( Kutlu-Muhammed ) Tevkelev in 1736 to protect the surrounding trade routes from possible attacks by Bashkir outlaws . During Pugachevs Rebellion , the fortress withstood a siege by the rebel forces in 1774 , but was eventually captured for several months in 1775 . In 1782 , Chelyabinsk became a seat of the uyezd of Ufa Viceroyalty , which was later reformed into Orenburg Governorate . In 1787 , Chelyabinsk was granted town status by the government . Until the late 19th century , Chelyabinsk was a small provincial town . In 1892 , the Samara-Zlatoust Railway was completed , which connected it with Moscow and the rest of European Russia . Also in 1892 , construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway started from Chelyabinsk , and in 1896 , the city was linked to Ekaterinburg . Chelyabinsk then became the main hub for travel to Siberia . For fifteen years , more than fifteen million people - a tenth of Russias population at the time - passed through Chelyabinsk . Some of them remained in Chelyabinsk , which contributed to its rapid growth . In addition a so-called “customs fracture” was created in Chelyabinsk , which imposed duties on the shipment of goods between the European and Asian parts of Russia , which led to the emergence of mills and notably , a tea-packing factory . As a result , Chelyabinsk became a major trade center . Its population reached 20,000 inhabitants by 1897 , 45,000 by 1913 , and 70,000 by 1917 . Because of its rapid growth at the turn of the 20th century , similar to that of midwestern American cities , Chelyabinsk was sometimes called the Chicago of the Urals . During the first Five-Year Plans of the 1930s , Chelyabinsk experienced rapid industrial growth . Several important factories , including the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant and the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant , were built at this time . During World War II , Joseph Stalin decided to move a large part of Soviet manufacturing to areas removed from the reach of the advancing German military as part of a general exodus from western occupied areas . This brought new industries and thousands of workers to Chelyabinsk , including facilities for the production of T-34 tanks and Katyusha rocket launchers . During World War II , the citys industries produced 18,000 tanks and 48,500 tank diesel engines as well as over 17 million units of ammunition . During that time Chelyabinsk was informally called “Tankograd” ( English : “Tank City” ) . During World War II , the S.M . Kirov Factory no . 185 or “OKMO” was moved to Chelyabinsk from Leningrad to produce heavy tanks , although it was transferred to Omsk after 1962 . 2013 meteor . Shortly after dawn on February 15 , 2013 , a superbolide meteor descended at over over the Ural Mountains , exploding at an altitude of . The meteor created a momentary flash as bright as the sun and generated a shock wave that injured over a thousand people . Fragments fell in and around Chelyabinsk . Interior Ministry spokesman Vadim Kolesnikov said 1,100 people had called for medical assistance following the incident , mostly for treatment of injuries from broken glass by the explosions . One woman suffered a broken spine . Kolesnikov also said about of a roof at a zinc factory had collapsed . A spokeswoman for the Emergency Ministry told the Associated Press that there was a meteor shower ; however , another ministry spokeswoman was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying it was a single meteor . The size has been estimated at diameter with a mass of 10,000 or 11,000 metric tons . The power of the explosion was about 500 kilotons of TNT ( about 1.8 PJ ) , which is 20–30 times more energy than was released from the atomic bomb detonated in Hiroshima . The city managed to avoid large casualties and destruction due to the high altitude of the explosion . Administrative and municipal status . Chelyabinsk is the administrative center of the oblast . Within the framework of administrative divisions , it is incorporated as the City of Chelyabinsk , an administrative unit with a status equal to that of the oblasts districts . As a municipal division , the City of Chelyabinsk is incorporated as Chelyabinsky Urban Okrug . In June 2014 , Chelyabinsks seven city districts were granted civil status . Administrative districts . Chelyabinsk is divided into seven administrative districts . Geography . Chelyabinsk is located east of the Ural Mountains , 200 km south of Yekaterinburg . It is elevated 200-250 meters above sea level . The city is bisected by the Miass River , which is regarded as the border between the Urals and Siberia . This is reflected in the geology of the area , with the granite foothills of the Ural Mountains to the west and the lower sedimentary rock of the West Siberian Plain to the east . The Leningrad bridge crosses the river , due to this it is known as “the bridge between the Urals and Siberia . Chelyabinsk itself is also known as the gateway to Siberia . Like Rome , Constantinople , San Francisco and Moscow , Chelyabinsk is said to be located on seven hills . Climate . The city has a Humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfb ) similar to that of the Canadian prairies , despite the city being located further north . The average temperature in January is well below the freezing point at -14°C/6.6 °F . July has a relatively cool average of 19°C/66.7 °F , and the annual average is a few degrees above the freezing point at 3°C/37.8 °F , indicating some moderation . The range of extremes allegedly reaches 70°C/158 °F , claimed to be typical of a mid-latitude climate on a large continent such as Eurasia . The majority of precipitation occurs in the summer , with less in the winter . The month of July experiences the most , with an average 87mm/3.44<nowiki></nowiki> of precipitation , while January , the driest month , experiences 15mm/0.6<nowiki></nowiki> . Total precipitation reaches an average of 429mm/16.9<nowiki></nowiki> annually , consistent with the citys semi-arid climate . On average , 119 days of the year experience precipitation . Population . As of 2020 , the population of Chelyabinsk is 1,196,680 ; up from 1,130,132 recorded in the 2010 Census . At the time of the official 2010 Census , the ethnic makeup of the citys population whose ethnicity was known ( 1,082,269 ) was: . Cityscape . Architecture . The architecture of Chelyabinsk has been shaped through its history by the progression of historical eras in Russia . Before the 1917 Russian Revolution , the city was a trading center , with numerous merchant buildings in the eclectic and modern styles with elements of Russian Revival architecture , some of which are preserved on the pedestrian-only Kirovka Street . Industrialization in Chelyabinsk started in the late 1920s . The construction of large plants was accompanied by the construction of new residential and public buildings in the constructivist style . Entire constructivist neighborhoods can be seen in the area of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant . In the late 1930s , a new era began in the city , with large-scale construction of Stalinist architecture . Many of the buildings in and around the city center and central avenue are constructed in this style . The next 60 years saw extensive construction of residential high-rise buildings as the citys population rose to about one million , notably within the large residential area called Severo-Zapad ( English : North-West ) . With the market reforms of the 1990s , there was an increase in the construction of office buildings and major shopping malls in postmodern and high-tech styles . Parks and gardens . Chelyabinsk has seventeen public parks . The largest is Gagarin Central Park . Its territory includes large areas of rocky and forested terrain , located around several now-flooded abandoned quarries . Education . There are over a dozen universities in Chelyabinsk . The oldest , Chelyabinsk State Agroengineering Academy , was founded in 1930 , followed by the Chelyabinsk State Pedagogical University in 1934 . Major universities include South Ural State University , Chelyabinsk State University , South Ural State University of Arts , and Chelyabinsk Medical Academy . After World War II , Chelyabinsk became the main center of vocational education of the entire Ural region . Economy . Chelyabinsk is one of the major industrial centers of Russia . Heavy industries , especially metallurgy and military production , are predominant in the area , notably the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Combinate ( CMK , ChMK ) , owned by the mining corporation Mechel . Other important industries include Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant ( CTZ , ChTZ ) , Chelyabinsk Electrode Plant ( ChEZ ) , the machine part-producing Chelyabinsk Forge-and-Press Plant ( ChKPZ ) , the crane-producing Chelyabinsk Mechanical Plant ( ChMZ ) , and Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant ( ChTPZ ) , which is included in the Big Eight of pipe producers in Russia , and produces large-diameter pipes for use in pipelines . Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant , owned by the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company , produces about 2% of the worlds zinc supply and over 60% of the Russian supply . Kolyuschenko Road Machinery Plant produces construction machinery and dump trucks for the American manufacturer Terex . Molnija Watch Factory produces pocket watches , as well as technical watches for use in aircraft and ships . In 1980 , Molnija watches were given as gifts to participants of the Moscow Olympic Games . The agro-industrial company Makfa , the largest producer of pasta in Russia , and one of the five largest producers in the world , is based in Chelyabinsk . The largest manufacturer of footwear in Russia , Unichel Footwear Firm , owns a factory in Chelyabinsk . Chelyabinsk is also home to the agricultural firm Ariant , which leads in the production of beverages and meat products in the Urals Federal District of Russia . The American corporation Emerson Electric owns part of the local company Metran , as well as a factory for the production of industrial equipment . In recent years , Chelyabinsk has had a significant role in other sectors of the Russian economy , hosting insurance firms , logistics centers , tourism , And important regional banking firms , such as Chelindbank and Chelyabinvestbank . There are several large shopping malls . The largest of them are Gorky ( English : Hills ) , built in 2007 with an area of 55,000 meters , and Rodnik ( English : Spring ) built in 2011 with an area 135,000 meters . At least two more are under construction : Almaz ( English : Diamond ) , and Cloud , beginning construction in 2015 and 2018 , with planned areas of 220,000 and 350,000 meters , respectively . Transportation . Public transport in Chelyabinsk consists of bus ( since 1925 ) , tram ( since 1932 ) and trolleybus ( since 1942 ) networks , as well as private marshrutka ( routed cab ) services . The city has several taxi companies . In 2014 in Chelyabinsk began to run electric buses , trolleybuses fitted to run electrically . In 2011 the telecommunications company Beeline and Chelyabinsk city transport signed an agreement to provide passengers free internet . Currently Wi-Fi is available in some public trams and trolleybuses in Chelyabinsk . Chelyabinsk started the construction of a three-line subway network in 1992 . The city is served by the Chelyabinsk Airport . Sports . Several sports clubs are active in the city : In recent history , Chelyabinsk has hosted several important sporting events , especially in martial arts . These events include the [ [ 2012 European Judo Championships ] ] , the [ [ 2014 World Judo Championships ] ] , and the 2015 [ [ World Taekwondo Championships ] ] . 2015 also saw Chelyabinsk host the [ [ European Speed Skating Championships ] ] . In 2018 , Chelyabinsk and nearby [ [ Magnitogorsk ] ] hosted the [ [ IIHF World U18 Championship ] ] . Culture . [ [ File:Публичная библиотека Челябинска.JPG|thumb|Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library ] ] The city has several libraries , notably Chelyabinsk Regional Universal Scientific Library , the largest public library in the [ [ Chelyabinsk Oblast ] ] . The library has more than 2 million books , over 12,000 of which are rare , originating from the 17th to 19th centuries . [ [ File:Драм.театр им.Н.Орлова ( г.Челябинск ) 2.JPG|thumb|Nahum Orlov State Academic Drama Theater ] ] Chelyabinsk is home to several theaters , which include the Nahum Orlov State Academic Drama Theatre , the Glinka State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre , Chelyabinsk State Chamber Theater , Chelyabinsk State Puppet Theater , Chelyabinsk State Youth Theatre , Mannequin Theater , Chelyabinsk New Arts Theatre , and Chelyabinsk Contemporary Dance Theatre . [ [ File:Концертный зал театра оперы.JPG|thumb|left|Concert Hall of the Glinka State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre ] ] [ [ File:Краеведческий музей Челябинска.JPG|thumb|left|Chelyabinsk regional museum ] ] There are nine museums in Chelyabinsk . Chelyabinsk Regional Museum was founded in 1913 and holds about 300,000 exhibits . Important expositions include the Land of Cities exhibit relating to the 2nd and 3rd millennium BCE settlement of [ [ Arkaim ] ] , the 570 kg largest fragment of the [ [ Chelyabinsk meteor ] ] , ornate 19th and 20th century blades made by [ [ Zlatoust ] ] arms factory , exhibits of [ [ Kasli ] ] artistic cast iron , and much more . Chelyabinsk Regional Picture Gallery has more than 11,000 works . The museum displays collections of Russian , European , and international works originating from the Middle Ages to modern times . The museum has significant collections of religious [ [ icons ] ] from the 16th to 20th centuries , along with early printed books and manuscripts . The Museum of History of the [ [ South Urals Railway|Southern Ural Railway ] ] hosts more than 30 exhibits of equipment used on the railway after its opening in Chelyabinsk in 1892 . [ [ File:Vintage military truck of Russia.jpg|thumb|Museum of Military Equipment in the Garden of Victory ] ] [ [ File:Jielbeaumadier cerf sika zoo cheljabinsk 2006.jpeg|thumb|left| [ [ Sika deer ] ] in the Chelyabinsk Zoo ] ] [ [ File:Троицкая церковь 4.jpg|thumb|Holy Trinity Church ( 1914 ) ] ] The Museum of Military Equipment in the Garden of Victory was founded in 2007 . It has 16 exhibits , including models of [ [ T-34 ] ] and [ [ IS tank family|IS-3 ] ] tanks , along with [ [ Katyusha rocket launcher ] ] s produced in Chelyabinsk during World War II . In addition , the city is home to the Chelyabinsk Regional Geological Museum , the Malgobekskii Museum of Military and Labor Glory , the Chelyabinsk Postal Service Museum , and the Entertaining Sciences Museum Eksperimentus . Chelyabinsk Zoo is located in the central region of Chelyabinsk . It has an area of 30 hectares with more than 110 species of animals , of which more than 80 are listed in the [ [ Red Data Book of the Russian Federation ] ] . The zoo participates in international programs for the conservation of endangered species , including [ [ Amur tiger|amur ( siberian ) tigers ] ] , [ [ leopard|far eastern leopards ] ] and [ [ polar bears ] ] . The zoo holds regular sightseeing tours , lectures , exhibitions and celebrations . Other cultural attractions include the Chelyabinsk State Circus , the Chelyabinsk State Philarmonic Concert Hall named after [ [ Sergei Prokofiev ] ] , and Organ and Chamber Music Hall Rodina . Chelyabinsk is home to several churches built from the 19th to 21st centuries . Notable people . - [ [ Ariel ( Russian band ) |Ariel ] ] , Soviet pop rock band - [ [ Lera Auerbach ] ] ( born 1973 ) , composer and musician , born and grew up in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Svyatoslav Belza ] ] ( 1942–2014 ) , musical scholar , critic and essayist , born in Chelyabinsk - ( born 1943 ) , jazz musician , bandleader , composer , born and started his career in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Zhan Bush ] ] ( born 1993 ) , figure skater - [ [ Dmitry Shishkin ] ] born in 1992 Classical Pianist - [ [ Yekaterina Gamova ] ] ( born 1980 ) , Olympic volleyball player , born and grew up in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Makhmut Gareev ] ] ( 1923–2019 ) , historian and military scientist , born and grew up in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Viktor Khristenko ] ] ( born 1957 ) , politician and statesman born and grew up in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Igor Kurnosov ] ] ( 1985–2013 ) , chess grandmaster , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Oleg Mityaev ] ] ( born 1956 ) , singer-songwriter and actor , born , grew up , and came into prominence in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Vadim Muntagirov ] ] ( born 1990 ) , ballet dancer , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Staņislavs Olijars ] ] ( born 1979 ) , Latvian 110m hurdler , gold medallist at the [ [ 2006 European Athletics Championships ] ] , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Georgy Ratner ] ] ( 1923–2001 ) , surgeon , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Nelli Rokita ] ] ( born 1957 ) , Polish politician , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Eugene Roshal ] ] ( born 1972 ) , software developer , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Mariya Savinova ] ] ( born 1985 ) , Olympic athlete , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Galina Starovoytova ] ] ( 1946–1998 ) , politician and human rights activist , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Maksim Surayev ] ] ( born 1972 ) , cosmonaut , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Evgeny Sveshnikov ] ] ( born 1950 ) , chess grandmaster and writer , born and grew up in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Anna Trebunskaya ] ] ( born 1980 ) , ballroom and Latin dancer , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Ivan Ukhov ] ] ( born 1986 ) , Olympic high jumper , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Mikhail Yurevich ] ] ( born 1969 ) , businessman , politician , born in Chelyabinsk - [ [ Mikhail Koklyaev ] ] ( born 1978 ) , Russian strongman competitor Ice hockey players . - [ [ Sergei Babinov ] ] ( born 1955 ) , Soviet player , [ [ Canada Cup ] ] champion - [ [ Vyacheslav Bykov ] ] ( born 1960 ) , Soviet player - [ [ Stanislav Chistov ] ] ( born 1983 ) , [ [ National Hockey League|NHL ] ] and [ [ Kontinental Hockey League|KHL ] ] player - [ [ Evgeny Davydov ] ] ( born 1967 ) , NHL player , USSR champion - [ [ Sergei Gonchar ] ] ( born 1974 ) , NHL player , [ [ Stanley Cup ] ] champion - [ [ Dmitri Kalinin ] ] ( born 1980 ) , NHL and KHL player , [ [ Gagarin Cup ] ] champion - [ [ Alexandra Vafina ] ] ( born 1990 ) , Russian Olympic ice hockey player ( 2010 , 2014 ) - [ [ Evgeny Kuznetsov ] ] ( born 1992 ) , NHL and KHL player , [ [ Stanley Cup ] ] champion - [ [ Sergei Makarov ( ice hockey ) |Sergei Makarov ] ] ( born 1958 ) , NHL player - [ [ Andrei Nazarov ] ] ( born 1974 ) , NHL player and KHL coach - [ [ Nikita Nesterov ] ] ( born 1993 ) , NHL and KHL player - [ [ Valeri Nichushkin ] ] ( born 1995 ) , NHL and KHL player - [ [ Valeri Karpov ] ] ( 1971–2014 ) , [ [ Russian Superleague ] ] and NHL player - [ [ Dmitri Tertyshny ] ] ( 1976–1999 ) , [ [ Russian Superleague ] ] and NHL player - [ [ Slava Voynov ] ] ( born 1990 ) , NHL player , [ [ Stanley Cup ] ] champion - [ [ Danil Yerdakov ] ] ( born 1989 ) , KHL player - [ [ Danis Zaripov ] ] ( born 1981 ) , KHL player , [ [ Gagarin Cup ] ] champion - [ [ Yakov Trenin ] ] ( born 1997 ) , NHL player International relations . Twin towns – sister cities . Chelyabinsk is [ [ twin towns and sister cities|twinned ] ] with : - [ [ Nottinghamshire ] ] , United Kingdom - [ [ Ramla ] ] , Israel - [ [ Ürümqi ] ] , China - [ [ Columbia , South Carolina|Columbia ] ] , United States Diplomatic and consular missions and visa centers . - [ [ Italy ] ] : Honorary Consulate , Visa center - [ [ Poland ] ] : Visa cente