Hrazdan ( Armenian : Հրազդան [həɾɑzˈdɑn] ) is a town and urban municipal community in Armenia serving as the administrative centre of Kotayk Province , located 45 kilometres (28 miles) northeast of the capital Yerevan . As of the 2011 census, the population of the town is 44,231.
123-821: During the Soviet period, Hrazdan was one of the industrialized centres of the Armenian SSR . The prelacy of the Diocese of Kotayk of the Armenian Apostolic Church is headquartered in Hrazdan. The town is named after the Hrazdan River , which flows through the town from north to south. The name Hrazdan itself is derived from the Middle-Persian name Frazdān, which is related to
246-655: A famine between 1930 and 1933 that killed millions. The Soviet forced labour camp system of the Gulag was expanded. During the late 1930s, Stalin's government conducted the Great Purge to remove opponents, resulting in mass death, imprisonment, and deportation. In 1939, the USSR and Nazi Germany signed a nonaggression pact , but in 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the largest land invasion in history, opening
369-541: A closer relationship with France and Britain. In 1939, half a year after the Munich Agreement , the USSR attempted to form an anti-Nazi alliance with France and Britain. Adolf Hitler proposed a better deal, which would give the USSR control over much of Eastern Europe through the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact . In September, Germany invaded Poland, and the USSR also invaded later that month, resulting in
492-482: A fleet of strategic bombers and during war situation was to eradicate enemy infrastructure and nuclear capacity. The air force also had a number of fighters and tactical bombers to support the army in the war. Strategic missile forces had more than 1,400 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), deployed between 28 bases and 300 command centers. Kotayk Province Kotayk ( Armenian : Կոտայք , Armenian pronunciation: [kɔˈtɑjkʰ] ),
615-519: A greater union which he initially named as the Union of Soviet Republics of Europe and Asia (Russian: Союз Советских Республик Европы и Азии , romanized : Soyuz Sovyetskikh Respublik Evropy i Azii ). Joseph Stalin initially resisted Lenin's proposal but ultimately accepted it, and with Lenin's agreement he changed the name to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), although all republics began as socialist soviet and did not change to
738-702: A height of 1,200–1,500 m (3,937–4,921 ft) above sea level . It is dominated by the Gegham mountains from the northeast including the mountains of Azhdahak , Hatis and Gutanasar . The province approximates the Pambak mountains at the north, while the Tsaghkunyats mountains lie at the west, and the Voghjaberd mountains at the southwest of Kotayk. Affected by the Gegham volcanoes, the land relief of Kotayk
861-541: A major industrial region within the Armenian SSR . Between 1930 and 1995, modern-day Kotayk was divided into 3 raions : Kotayk raion , Nairi raion , and Hrazdan raion . With the territorial administration reform of 1995, the 3 raions were merged to form the Kotayk Province. According to the 1989 Soviet census , the Kotayk Province (then part of the Kotayk , Nairi , and Hrazdan districts in 1930–1995) had
984-597: A new profitable market. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Stalin ordered Marxist-Leninist parties across the world to strongly oppose non-Marxist political parties, labour unions or other organizations on the left, which they labelled social fascists . In the usage of the Soviet Union, and of the Comintern and its affiliated parties in this period, the epithet fascist was used to describe capitalist society in general and virtually any anti-Soviet or anti-Stalinist activity or opinion. Stalin reversed himself in 1934 with
1107-407: A population of 301,737. 153,410 or 50.84% of which was urban, distributed in the cities of Abovyan (58,671), Hrazdan (60,839), and Charentsavan (33,900), and 148,327 or 49.16% were rural, distributed in the districts of Kotayk (63,099), Nairi (56,325), and Hrazdan (28,903). According to the 2022 official census, Kotayk has a population of 269,883 (128,793 men and 141,090 women), forming around 9.2% of
1230-532: A significant number of Russian Molokans . Hankavan has a majority of Greeks , while the village of Arzni is predominantly populated by Assyrians . Minor communities of Russian Molokans, Yazidis, Kurds, Assyrians and Greeks are also found in Abovyan and Byureghavan. As a result of the administrative reforms took place on 9 June 2017, Kotayk is currently divided into 42 municipal communities ( hamaynkner ), of which 7 are urban and 35 are rural: During
1353-631: A status that is retained by the Russian Federation . Covering a sixth of Earth's land surface, its size was comparable to that of North America . Two other successor states, Kazakhstan and Ukraine , rank among the top 10 countries by land area, and the largest country entirely in Europe, respectively. The European portion accounted for a quarter of the country's area and was the cultural and economic center. The eastern part in Asia extended to
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#17327727465911476-481: A town of republican subordination. Hrazdan went through development during the 1960s and 1970s when large industrial plants were opened by the Soviet government, including the "HrazdanMash" machine tool plant, a cement factory, a Jrarat milk factory, and a prefabricated concrete panel plant. Another urban development plan was introduced between 1978 and 1980; it was envisaged to accommodate 120,000 residents in Hrazdan by
1599-475: A union of equals, in practice the Soviet Union was dominated by Russians . The domination was so absolute that for most of its existence, the country was commonly (but incorrectly) referred to as 'Russia'. While the Russian SFSR was technically only one republic within the larger union, it was by far the largest (both in terms of population and area), most powerful, and most highly developed. The Russian SFSR
1722-710: Is 6 °C (ranging from -7 °C in January to 18.1 °C in August). The annual precipitation is around 700 mm. The residents of Hrazdan are mainly Christians who belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church . The church is regulated by the Diocese of Kotayk . Present-day Hrazdan has churches dating back to the Middle Ages as well as modern periods. The remains of the Surp Stepanos ( transl. Saint Stephen ) Monastic Complex of Aghbyurak date back to
1845-456: Is a province ( marz ) of Armenia . It is located at the central part of the country. Its capital is Hrazdan and the largest city is Abovyan . It is named after the Kotayk canton of the historic Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia . Kotayk is bordered by Lori Province from the northwest, Tavush Province from the north, Gegharkunik Province from the north, Aragatsotn Province from
1968-719: Is a major centre for agricultural products and cattle-breeding in Armenia, forming 6% of the annual total agricultural product of Armenia. Around 74% (1,546.4 km ) of the total area of the province are arable lands , out of which 24.4% (378 km ) are ploughed. A total of 36,125 farms in Kotayk are operated by the private sector or through cooperatives. The agricultural products of the province are divided as follows: 40% provided by cattle-breeding 40%, 14% by tobacco processing, 10% by fruits, 8% by vegetables, 28% by other products including grains and dry grains. The orchards mainly produce grapes, apricot, peach and apple. Around 40% of
2091-509: Is a popular mountain resort in Kotayk with its several hotels and sanatoriums. The Tsaghkadzor ski resort is a major destination for the lovers of winter sports. Many 5-star luxury hotels and resorts serve the town during the summer and winter seasons including the Marriott Tsaghkadzor Hotel, Multi Rest House Hotel, Golden Palace Hotel and Ararat Resort Tsaghkadzor Hotel. The "Senator Golden Palace" casino of Tsaghkadzor
2214-625: Is also an important railroad station on the South Caucasus Railway ( Yerevan to Shorzha and Yerevan to Dilijan lines). Hrazdan is one of the highly industrialized towns in Armenia. The town is home to large plants including: The town has also minor industrial firms including the Hidro Storm metal-plastic manufacturing plant founded in 2009, as well as the Arjermek and Hakobyan companies for building materials. Hrazdan
2337-414: Is also home to the popular winter sports resort and the spa-town of Tsaghkadzor and the mountain resort of Aghveran . Kotayk Province is named after the historic Kotayk canton of the historic Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia , directly ruled by the royal Arsacid dynasty . Kotayk was first mentioned as an Armenian region by Ptolemy as Kotakene . According to Movses Khorenatsi , the name Kotayk
2460-567: Is among the largest entertainment centers in Armenia. The villages of Hankavan , Pyunik , Agveran , Bjni and Arzni are popular summer resorts and major destinations for medical tourism . The monastery of Geghard located at the south of province is a UNESCO World Heritage Site , designated as the Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley . The pagan Temple of Garni and the medieval Kecharis Monastery are also among
2583-434: Is covered with lava and tufa . Hrazdan , Getar and Azat are the 3 major rivers of the province. Lake Akna located at a height of 3,032 m (9,948 ft), is the only lake in the province. The climate of the province is quite diversified. It ranges between arid and semi-arid climate at the south, and snowy climate at the centre and the north. Annual precipitation levels are less than 200 mm (7.9 in) at
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#17327727465912706-491: Is dedicated to the Armenian scientists Ruben, Levon and Joseph Orbeli. The town of Yeghvard has a number of historic structures dating back to classical antiquity and the medieval period, including the "Seghanasar" ancient settlement from the 2nd millennium BC, the ruins of a 4th-century church surrounded with more than 30 khachkars dating back to the 12th century, the ruins of the 5th to 6th-centuries Katoghike Church, and
2829-434: Is derived from an ancient nearby settlement called Kutis . The symbol of Kotayk is the lion of Geghard depicted on the coat of arms of the province, standing on a traditional Armenian sundial from Kecharis Monastery , surround by a bunch of Armenian grapes from both sides. The decorative statue of the lion of Geghard was erected in 1958 among the mountains of Kotayk, on the way to the 4th-century Geghard monastery. It
2952-573: Is derived from the Russian word sovet (Russian: совет ), meaning 'council', 'assembly', 'advice', ultimately deriving from the proto-Slavic verbal stem of * vět-iti ('to inform'), related to Slavic věst ('news'), English wise . The word sovietnik means 'councillor'. Some organizations in Russian history were called council (Russian: совет ). In the Russian Empire ,
3075-425: Is derived from the decorative lions carved on the walls of the monastery. The 1st-century pagan Temple of Garni is also depicted on the coat of arms of Kotayk. Situated at the central part of modern-day Armenia, Kotayk covers an area of 2,089 km (807 sq mi) (7% of total area of Armenia). It is bordered by Gegharkunik Province from the east, Tavush Province from the northeast, Lori Province from
3198-655: Is his background, his education , his profession . These are the questions that will determine the fate of the accused. That is the meaning and essence of the Red Terror ." During his rule, Stalin always made the final policy decisions. Otherwise, Soviet foreign policy was set by the commission on the Foreign Policy of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , or by
3321-571: Is home to the Humanitarian Institute of Hrazdan, which was opened in 1996. Owned by the private sector, the university has 3 faculties: law, pedagogy and economics. As of 2009, 13 public education schools, 13 nursery schools, one school for special needs students, and several musical and sport academies were operating in Hrazdan. There is a research centre within the Hrazdan Zoological and Botanical Garden. Football
3444-588: Is the most popular sport in Hrazdan. FC Shinarar was the football club that represented the town during Soviet occupation. The municipal stadium of Hrazdan was their home venue. The club was dissolved in 1992 due to financial difficulties. Field hockey is also popular in the town. Hrazdan is home to the only field hockey venue of Armenia, with a capacity of 1,500 seats. The Hrazdan Hockey Club occasionally represents Armenia in several regional and international tournaments. The Soviet-Armenian field hockey player and 1980 Olympic bronze medalist Sos Hayrapetyan played for
3567-520: The Council of People's Commissars ), headed by the Chairman (Premier) and managing an enormous bureaucracy responsible for the administration of the economy and society. State and party structures of the constituent republics largely emulated the structure of the central institutions, although the Russian SFSR, unlike the other constituent republics, for most of its history had no republican branch of
3690-606: The Eastern Front of World War II . The Soviets played a decisive role in defeating the Axis powers , suffering an estimated 27 million casualties , which accounted for most Allied losses. In the aftermath of the war , the Soviet Union consolidated the territory occupied by the Red Army , forming satellite states , and undertook rapid economic development which cemented its status as a superpower . Geopolitical tensions with
3813-534: The Kotayk Province and some parts of the Gegharkunik Province . Hrazdan is a transport junction between Armenia's capital, Yerevan, and its northern provinces. The M-4 Motorway that connects Yerevan with northern Armenia passes through the southwestern edge of the town. As a provincial centre, Hrazdan is connected with the rest of Kotayk through a well-developed network of roads. The town
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3936-755: The Land Forces , the Air Force , the Navy , Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) and the Internal Troops . The OGPU later became independent and in 1934 joined the NKVD secret police, and so its internal troops were under the joint leadership of the defense and internal commissariats. After World War II, Strategic Missile Forces (1959), Air Defense Forces (1948) and National Civil Defense Forces (1970) were formed, which ranked first, third, and sixth in
4059-528: The Moscow State Institute of International Relations . The Marxist-Leninist leadership of the Soviet Union intensely debated foreign policy issues and changed directions several times. Even after Stalin assumed dictatorial control in the late 1920s, there were debates, and he frequently changed positions. During the country's early period, it was assumed that Communist revolutions would break out soon in every major industrial country, and it
4182-895: The October Revolution of 1917. The new government, led by Vladimir Lenin , established the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), the world's first constitutionally socialist state . The revolution was not accepted by all within the Russian Republic , resulting in the Russian Civil War . The RSFSR and its subordinate republics were merged into the Soviet Union in 1922. Following Lenin's death in 1924, Joseph Stalin came to power, inaugurating rapid industrialization and forced collectivization that led to significant economic growth but contributed to
4305-657: The Pacific Ocean to the east and Afghanistan to the south, and, except some areas in Central Asia , was much less populous. It spanned over 10,000 kilometres (6,200 mi) east to west across 11 time zones , and over 7,200 kilometres (4,500 mi) north to south. It had five climate zones: tundra , taiga , steppes , desert and mountains . The USSR, like Russia , had the world's longest border , measuring over 60,000 kilometres (37,000 mi), or 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 circumferences of Earth. Two-thirds of it
4428-790: The Popular Front program that called on all Marxist parties to join with all anti-Fascist political, labour, and organizational forces that were opposed to fascism , especially of the Nazi variety. The rapid growth of power in Nazi Germany encouraged both Paris and Moscow to form a military alliance, and the Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance was signed in May 1935. A firm believer in collective security, Stalin's foreign minister Maxim Litvinov worked very hard to form
4551-638: The Qajar dynasty of Persia. It remained under Persian rule until 1827 or 1828, when Eastern Armenia was ceded to the Russian Empire as a result of the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28 and the signing of the Treaty of Turkmenchay . With the fall of the Russian Empire and as a result of the Armenian victory over the Turks in the battles of Sardarabad , Abaran , and Gharakilisa , the region became part of
4674-472: The Qajar dynasty of Persia. It remained under the Persian rule until 1827–1828, when Eastern Armenia was ceded to the Russian Empire as a result of the Russo-Persian War of 1826–28 and the signing of the Treaty of Turkmenchay . With the fall of the Russian Empire and after the decisive Armenian victories over the Turks in the battles of Sardarabad , Abaran , and Gharakilisa , the region became part of
4797-481: The Russian Empire , it was nominally organized as a federal union of national republics , the largest and most populous of which was the Russian SFSR . In practice, its government and economy were highly centralized . As a one-party state governed by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , it was a flagship communist state . Its capital and largest city was Moscow . The Soviet Union's roots lay in
4920-529: The Soviet republics , and the control of the Communist Party weakened. The failed coup attempt in August 1991 against Gorbachev by hardline communists hastened the end of the Soviet Union , which formally dissolved on December 26, 1991, ending nearly seven decades of Soviet rule. With an area of 22,402,200 square kilometres (8,649,500 sq mi), the Soviet Union was the world's largest country,
5043-772: The State Council , which functioned from 1810 to 1917, was referred to as a Council of Ministers. The Soviets as workers' councils first appeared during the 1905 Russian Revolution . Although they were quickly suppressed by the Imperial army, after the February Revolution of 1917 , workers' and soldiers' Soviets emerged throughout the country and shared power with the Russian Provisional Government . The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin , demanded that all power be transferred to
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5166-650: The Tsaghkunyats Mountains from the southwest. The borders of the town extend east across the Geghama mountains , reaching up to the top of Mount Gutanasar . While passing through the town, the Hrazdan River reaches its tributaries, the Marmarik and Aghveran rivers. Hrazdan has an average elevation of 1,675 meters above sea level . The town has a warm-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ).The average temperature
5289-476: The USSR government between the 1940s and the 1960s to promote the industrial capacity of the Armenian SSR . However, many industrial plants have been revived after the independence of Armenia, mainly during the first decade of the 21st century. Currently, the province has a contribution of 13.5% in the annual total industrial product of Armenia. Food-processing, alcoholic beverages and building materials production are
5412-635: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), saying that it was "overly juridical" and potentially infringed on national sovereignty. The Soviet Union later signed legally-binding human rights documents, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1973 (and the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ), but they were neither widely known or accessible to people living under Communist rule, nor were they taken seriously by
5535-623: The Zoroastrian mythology . Frazdān is the name of the lake mentioned in the Avesta while referring to Goshtasb 's war with two of its enemies. Armenians were predominantly Zoroastrian before embracing Christianity, and Zoroastrian names were maintained in the geography of Armenia. Historically, the territory of Hrazdan is associated with the historic Kotayk canton of the Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia . According to Ptolemy , Kotayk
5658-650: The independent Armenia in May 1918. After 2 years of brief independence, Armenia became part of the Soviet Union in December 1920. After the World War II , Kotayk witnessed major growth and development under the soviet rule. Many new urban settlements and industrial centres were established in the region, including the towns of Byureghavan (1945), Charentsavan (1947), Nor Hachn (1953), Hrazdan (1959) and Abovyan (1963). Thus Kotayk had gradually become
5781-621: The independent Armenia in May 1918. After two years of independence, Armenia became part of the Soviet Union in December 1920. Hrazdan is among the towns that were founded and developed during the Soviet rule. The former village of Akhta (or Nerkin Akhta ), which covered the southern parts of present-day Hrazdan, was the centre of the Akhta raion , an administrative territory of the Armenian SSR formed in 1930. In 1959, The village of Akhta
5904-496: The largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world . As an Allied nation, it was a founding member of the United Nations as well as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council . Before its dissolution, the USSR was one of the world's two superpowers through its hegemony in Eastern Europe, global diplomatic and ideological influence (particularly in the Global South ), military and economic strengths, and scientific accomplishments. The word soviet
6027-485: The right to food , the right to work , and the right to education . The Soviet conception of human rights was very different from international law . According to Soviet legal theory , "it is the government who is the beneficiary of human rights which are to be asserted against the individual". The Soviet state was considered as the source of human rights. Therefore, the Soviet legal system considered law an arm of politics and it also considered courts agencies of
6150-418: The 10th and 12th centuries. As of 2016, the town is home to the following churches: Hrazdan also has ruins of churches and monasteries dating back to the medieval period; they are protected by the government of Armenia. The Hrazdan Drama Theatre was founded in 1953. The Hrazdan branch of the National Gallery of Armenia and the Geological Museum of Hrazdan are also among the prominent cultural institutions in
6273-423: The 11th and 15th centuries, the region suffered from the Seljuk, Mongol, Ag Qoyunlu and Kara Koyunlu invasions, respectively. At the beginning of the 16th century, the territory of modern-day Kotayk became part of the Erivan Beglarbegi within the Safavid Persia . During the first half of the 18th century, the territory became part of the Erivan Khanate under the rule of the Afsharid dynasty and later under
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#17327727465916396-406: The 11th and 15th centuries, the region was occupied by the Seljuk , Mongol, Ag Qoyunlu and Kara Koyunlu governments, respectively. At the beginning of the 16th century, the territory became part of the Erivan Beglarbegi within the Safavid Persia . During the first half of the 18th century, the territory became part of the Erivan Khanate under the rule of the Afsharid dynasty and later under
6519-481: The 1920s, it refused to rubber stamp proposals from the party and Council of Ministers. In 1990, Gorbachev introduced and assumed the position of the President of the Soviet Union , concentrated power in his executive office, independent of the party, and subordinated the government, now renamed the Cabinet of Ministers of the USSR , to himself. Tensions grew between the Union-wide authorities under Gorbachev, reformists led in Russia by Boris Yeltsin and controlling
6642-424: The 1950s, the Soviet Union expanded its efforts in space exploration and took a lead in the Space Race with the first artificial satellite , the first human spaceflight , the first space station , and the first probe to land on another planet . In 1985, the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev , sought to reform the country through his policies of glasnost and perestroika . In 1989, various countries of
6765-432: The 1990s, people in the West were also interested in the radioactive hazards of nuclear facilities, decommissioned nuclear submarines , and the processing of nuclear waste or spent nuclear fuel . It was also known in the early 1990s that the USSR had transported radioactive material to the Barents Sea and Kara Sea , which was later confirmed by the Russian parliament. The crash of the K-141 Kursk submarine in 2000 in
6888-427: The CPSU, being ruled directly by the union-wide party until 1990. Local authorities were organized likewise into party committees , local Soviets and executive committees . While the state system was nominally federal, the party was unitary. The state security police (the KGB and its predecessor agencies ) played an important role in Soviet politics. It was instrumental in the Red Terror and Great Purge , but
7011-411: The Communist authorities. Under Joseph Stalin , the death penalty was extended to adolescents as young as 12 years old in 1935. Sergei Kovalev recalled "the famous article 125 of the Constitution which enumerated all basic civil and political rights" in the Soviet Union. But when he and other prisoners attempted to use this as a legal basis for their abuse complaints, their prosecutor's argument
7134-481: The Politburo after the deaths of Lenin and Stalin, as well as after Khrushchev's dismissal, itself due to a decision by both the Politburo and the Central Committee. All leaders of the Communist Party before Gorbachev died in office, except Georgy Malenkov and Khrushchev, both dismissed from the party leadership amid internal struggle within the party. Between 1988 and 1990, facing considerable opposition, Mikhail Gorbachev enacted reforms shifting power away from
7257-420: The Russian name of the Soviet Union as СС has been taboo, the reason being that СС as a Russian Cyrillic abbreviation is associated with the infamous Schutzstaffel of Nazi Germany , as SS is in English. In English-language media, the state was referred to as the Soviet Union or the USSR. The Russian SFSR dominated the Soviet Union to such an extent that, for most of the Soviet Union's existence, it
7380-450: The Soviet Union and turned into SSRs, which was not recognized by most of the international community and was considered an illegal occupation . After the Soviet invasion of Finland , the Karelo-Finnish SSR was formed on annexed territory as a Union Republic in March 1940 and then incorporated into Russia as the Karelian ASSR in 1956. Between July 1956 and September 1991, there were 15 union republics (see map below). While nominally
7503-477: The Soviet Union . Boris Yeltsin , the leader of the RSFSR, oversaw its reconstitution into the Russian Federation , which became the Soviet Union's successor state; all other republics emerged as fully independent post-Soviet states . During its existence, the Soviet Union produced many significant social and technological achievements and innovations . It had the world's second-largest economy and largest standing military. An NPT-designated state , it wielded
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#17327727465917626-417: The Soviet Union's priorities changed. Despite previous conflict with the United Kingdom , Vyacheslav Molotov dropped his post war border demands. The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc , which began following World War II in 1945. The term cold war is used because there
7749-480: The Soviet Union's superpower status, the economy struggled due to its centralized nature, technological backwardness, and inefficiencies. The vast military expenditures and burdens of maintaining the Eastern Bloc, further strained the Soviet economy. In the 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev 's policies of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring) aimed to revitalize the Soviet system but instead accelerated its unraveling. Nationalist movements gained momentum across
7872-424: The Soviet authorities admitted. The Soviet Union was the world's second largest producer of harmful emissions. In 1988, total emissions in the Soviet Union were about 79% of those in the United States. But since the Soviet GNP was only 54% of that of the United States, this means that the Soviet Union generated 1.5 times more pollution than the United States per unit of GNP. The Soviet Chernobyl disaster in 1986
7995-406: The Soviets, and gained support from the workers and soldiers. After the October Revolution , in which the Bolsheviks seized power from the Provisional Government in the name of the Soviets, Lenin proclaimed the formation of the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic (RSFSR). During the Georgian Affair of 1922, Lenin called for the Russian SFSR and other national Soviet republics to form
8118-415: The Supreme Soviet were members of the CPSU. Of the party heads themselves, Stalin (1941–1953) and Khrushchev (1958–1964) were Premiers. Upon the forced retirement of Khrushchev, the party leader was prohibited from this kind of double membership, but the later General Secretaries for at least some part of their tenure occupied the mostly ceremonial position of Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet ,
8241-551: The US led to the Cold War . The American-led Western Bloc coalesced into NATO in 1949, prompting the Soviet Union to form its own military alliance, the Warsaw Pact , in 1955. Neither side engaged in direct military confrontation, and instead fought on an ideological basis and through proxy wars . In 1953, following Stalin's death , the Soviet Union undertook a campaign of de-Stalinization under Nikita Khrushchev , which saw reversals and rejections of Stalinist policies. This campaign caused tensions with Communist China . During
8364-430: The USSR. Moscow eventually stopped threatening other states, and instead worked to open peaceful relationships in terms of trade, and diplomatic recognition. The United Kingdom dismissed the warnings of Winston Churchill and a few others about a continuing Marxist-Leninist threat, and opened trade relations and de facto diplomatic recognition in 1922. There was hope for a settlement of the pre-war Tsarist debts, but it
8487-409: The Warsaw Pact overthrew their Soviet-backed regimes , and nationalist and separatist movements erupted across the Soviet Union. In 1991, amid efforts to preserve the country as a renewed federation , an attempted coup against Gorbachev by hardline communists prompted the largest republics—Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus—to secede. On December 26, Gorbachev officially recognized the dissolution of
8610-449: The accident, but this led to a relatively low number of deaths (WHO data, 2005). Another major radioactive accident was the Kyshtym disaster . The Kola Peninsula was one of the places with major problems. Around the industrial cities of Monchegorsk and Norilsk , where nickel , for example, is mined, all forests have been destroyed by contamination, while the northern and other parts of Russia have been affected by emissions. During
8733-500: The attractive monuments of the province. The province has 3 nature protected areas: the Arzakan-Meghradzor Sanctuary , the Banks' Pine Grove Sanctuary, and the Hankavan Hydrological Sanctuary. Kotayk has many spa and mountain resorts that attract tourists, including: Hrazdan is home to the Humanitarian University of Hrazdan. Owned by the private sector, the university has 3 faculties: law, pedagogy and economics. 2 major science institutions and research centres are located in Abovyan:
8856-441: The club between 1988 and 1992. Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR ), commonly known as the Soviet Union , was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. During its existence, it was the largest country by area , extending across eleven time zones and sharing borders with twelve countries , and the third-most populous country . An overall successor to
8979-429: The country was limited. The state restricted rights of citizens to private property . According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , human rights are the "basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled." including the right to life and liberty , freedom of expression , and equality before the law ; and social, cultural and economic rights, including the right to participate in culture ,
9102-716: The creation of new state commissions and committees. It gained additional powers relating to the approval of the Five-Year Plans and the government budget . The Supreme Soviet elected a Presidium (successor of the Central Executive Committee ) to wield its power between plenary sessions, ordinarily held twice a year, and appointed the Supreme Court , the Procurator General and the Council of Ministers (known before 1946 as
9225-589: The degree of power consolidation, it was either the Politburo as a collective body or the General Secretary, who always was one of the Politburo members, that effectively led the party and the country (except for the period of the highly personalized authority of Stalin, exercised directly through his position in the Council of Ministers rather than the Politburo after 1941). They were not controlled by
9348-535: The dry areas, while it ranges between 400 and 900 mm (35.4 in) at the heights in the centre and the north of the province. The earliest records about the region date back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. According to Ptolemy , Kotayk was directly ruled by the Arsacid kings of Armenia . However, during the 4th and the 5th centuries, the territories were granted to the Varazhnuni noble family who governed
9471-554: The duty of the Russian Bolsheviks to protect what they had in Russia, and avoid military confrontations that might destroy their bridgehead. Russia was now a pariah state, along with Germany. The two came to terms in 1922 with the Treaty of Rapallo that settled long-standing grievances. At the same time, the two countries secretly set up training programs for the illegal German army and air force operations at hidden camps in
9594-406: The end of 2010. However, the plan was eventually abandoned with the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Modern-day Hrazdan is divided into three major parts: In December 1995, Hrazdan became the centre of the newly formed Kotayk Province. The town of Hrazdan is located in the northeastern part of Armenia, within the Kotayk Province . It is bordered by the Pambak mountain range from the north and
9717-399: The entire population of Armenia. The urban population is 146,273 (54.2%) and the rural is 123,610 (45.8%). The province has 7 urban and 60 rural communities. The largest urban community is the town of Abovyan, with a population of 46,434. The other urban centres are Hrazdan, Charentsavan, Yeghvard, Byureghavan, Nor Hachn, and Tsaghkadzor. With a population of 7,198, the village of Jrvezh is
9840-564: The farmlands are irrigated, mainly through the Kanaker Hydroelectric Power Station canal and the Kotayk canal of Sevan–Hrazdan Cascade . Kotayk has the 3 largest poultry farms in Armenia including the farms of Lusakert (in Nor Geghi ), Arzni and Getamej . Kotayk was a major industrial centre during the Soviet period. The towns of Byureghavan, Charentsavan, Nor Hachn, Hrazdan and Abovyan were founded by
9963-593: The forests and lands used as a hunting ground by the kings of the Arsacid kings. Later between the 5th and 7th centuries, the region was granted to the Kamsarakan and Amatuni families, under the Persian rule. Between the 7th and 9th centuries, Armenia suffered from the Arab Islamic occupation. By the end of the 9th century, the region became part of the newly established Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia . Between
10086-723: The founding republics who signed the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR in December 1922. In 1924, during the national delimitation in Central Asia, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan were formed from parts of Russia's Turkestan ASSR and two Soviet dependencies, the Khorezm and Bukharan PSPs . In 1929, Tajikistan was split off from the Uzbekistan SSR. With the constitution of 1936, the Transcaucasian SFSR
10209-410: The general party membership, as the key principle of the party organization was democratic centralism , demanding strict subordination to higher bodies, and elections went uncontested, endorsing the candidates proposed from above. The Communist Party maintained its dominance over the state mainly through its control over the system of appointments . All senior government officials and most deputies of
10332-525: The globe. The post-Stalin leadership, particularly under Nikita Khrushchev , initiated a de-Stalinization process, leading to a period of liberalization and relative openness known as the Khrushchev Thaw . However, the subsequent era under Leonid Brezhnev , referred to as the Era of Stagnation , was marked by economic decline, political corruption, and a rigid gerontocracy . Despite efforts to maintain
10455-497: The government. Extensive extrajudicial powers were given to the Soviet secret police agencies . In practice, the Soviet government significantly curbed the rule of law , civil liberties , protection of law and guarantees of property , which were considered as examples of "bourgeois morality" by Soviet law theorists such as Andrey Vyshinsky . The USSR and other countries in the Soviet Bloc had abstained from affirming
10578-518: The highest bodies of the party and making the Supreme Soviet less dependent on them. The Congress of People's Deputies was established, the majority of whose members were directly elected in competitive elections held in March 1989, the first in Soviet history. The Congress now elected the Supreme Soviet, which became a full-time parliament, and much stronger than before. For the first time since
10701-472: The implementation of socialist policies and the New Economic Policy (NEP), which allowed for market-oriented reforms. The rise of Joseph Stalin in the late 1920s ushered in an era of intense centralization and totalitarianism. Stalin's rule was characterized by the forced collectivization of agriculture , rapid industrialization , and the Great Purge , which eliminated perceived enemies of
10824-544: The largest rural municipality of Kotayk. The majority of Kotayk Province are ethnic Armenians who belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church . The regulating body of the church is the Diocese of Kotayk , headed by Archbishop Arakel Karamyan. The Kecharis Monastery in Tsaghkadzor is the seat of the diocese. However, small communities of Yazdis in Zovuni , Bjni , Getamej , and Dzoraghbyur . Zovuni and Alapars have
10947-541: The most common Russian initialization is Союз ССР (transliteration: Soyuz SSR ) which essentially translates to Union of SSRs in English. In addition, the Russian short form name Советский Союз (transliteration: Sovyetsky Soyuz , which literally means Soviet Union ) is also commonly used, but only in its unabbreviated form. Since the start of the Great Patriotic War at the latest, abbreviating
11070-417: The newly elected Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR , and communist hardliners. On 19–21 August 1991, a group of hardliners staged a coup attempt . The coup failed, and the State Council of the Soviet Union became the highest organ of state power 'in the period of transition'. Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary, only remaining President for the final months of the existence of the USSR. The judiciary
11193-400: The nominal head of state . The institutions at lower levels were overseen and at times supplanted by primary party organizations . However, in practice the degree of control the party was able to exercise over the state bureaucracy, particularly after the death of Stalin, was far from total, with the bureaucracy pursuing different interests that were at times in conflict with the party, nor
11316-543: The north, Aragatsotn Province from the west, Ararat Province from the south and the capital Yerevan from the southwest. Historically, the current territory of the province mainly occupies parts of the Aragatsotn , Kotayk , Varazhnunik and Mazaz cantons of Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia. Kotayk occupies the northeastern part of the Ararat plain . The Kotayk plain located between Hrazdan and Azat rivers has
11439-608: The official Soviet system of importance (ground forces were second, Air Force fourth, and Navy fifth). The army had the greatest political influence. In 1989, there served two million soldiers divided between 150 motorized and 52 armored divisions. Until the early 1960s, the Soviet navy was a rather small military branch, but after the Caribbean crisis , under the leadership of Sergei Gorshkov , it expanded significantly. It became known for battlecruisers and submarines. In 1989, there served 500 000 men. The Soviet Air Force focused on
11562-544: The only legal party and the final policymaker in the country. At the top of the Communist Party was the Central Committee , elected at Party Congresses and Conferences. In turn, the Central Committee voted for a Politburo (called the Presidium between 1952 and 1966), Secretariat and the general secretary (First Secretary from 1953 to 1966), the de facto highest office in the Soviet Union. Depending on
11685-694: The other order until 1936 . In addition, in the regional languages of several republics, the word council or conciliar in the respective language was only quite late changed to an adaptation of the Russian soviet and never in others, e.g. Ukrainian SSR . СССР (in the Latin alphabet: SSSR ) is the abbreviation of the Russian-language cognate of USSR, as written in Cyrillic letters . The Soviets used this abbreviation so frequently that audiences worldwide became familiar with its meaning. After this,
11808-570: The partition of Poland. In response, Britain and France declared war on Germany, marking the beginning of World War II . Up until his death in 1953, Joseph Stalin controlled all foreign relations of the Soviet Union during the interwar period . Despite the increasing build-up of Germany 's war machine and the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War , the Soviet Union did not cooperate with any other nation, choosing to follow its own path. However, after Operation Barbarossa ,
11931-538: The party's highest body the Politburo . Operations were handled by the separate Ministry of Foreign Affairs . It was known as the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs (or Narkomindel), until 1946. The most influential spokesmen were Georgy Chicherin (1872–1936), Maxim Litvinov (1876–1951), Vyacheslav Molotov (1890–1986), Andrey Vyshinsky (1883–1954) and Andrei Gromyko (1909–1989). Intellectuals were based in
12054-1264: The prevailing sectors in the industry of the province. Other major industrial firms located in the villages of Kotayk include: Chanakh dairy factory founded in 1991 in Zovk , Glanzh Alco Winery for cognac and wine founded in 2003 in Aramus , Nicola International Armenia for canned food in Aramus (since 2003), Ptghni Gold Winery for wine and liquor founded in 1996 in Ptghni , Bacon factory for meet products founded in 1995 in Arzni , Multi Aquamarine for spring water since 2003 in Akunk, Aquastone spring water manufacturers in Bjni since 2012, Rukar Group for vodka and calvados since 2010 in Verin Ptghni, Helias Vineyards for wine production since 2013 in Dzoraghbyur , and Pacific Home for spring water production founded in 2014 in Akunk . Tsaghkadzor spa town
12177-647: The recent years, many rural settlements in Kotayk became abandoned, including the village of Saranist . The Hrazdan Drama Theatre was founded in 1953. The Hrazdan branch of the National Gallery of Armenia and the Geological Museum of Hrazdan are also among the prominent cultural institutions in the province. The urban centres of Kotayk have their own cultural centres and public libraries. The House-museum of Brothers Orbeli in Tsaghkadzor,
12300-424: The southwest, and Ararat Province from the southwest and the capital Yerevan from the west. Kotayk is the only province in Armenia that has no borders with foreign countries. The province is home to many ancient landmarks and tourist attractions in Armenia including the 1st-century Temple of Garni , the medieval Bjni Fortress , 11th-century Kecharis Monastery and the 13th-century monastery of Geghard . Kotayk
12423-712: The state. The Soviet Union played a crucial role in the Allied victory in World War II , but at a tremendous human cost, with millions of Soviet citizens perishing in the conflict. The Soviet Union emerged as one of the world's two superpowers, leading the Eastern Bloc in opposition to the Western Bloc during the Cold War . This period saw the USSR engage in an arms race, the Space Race , and proxy wars around
12546-469: The struggle for dominance was expressed via indirect means such as psychological warfare , propaganda campaigns, espionage , far-reaching embargoes , rivalry at sports events and technological competitions such as the Space Race . Constitutionally, the USSR was a federation of constituent Union Republics, which were either unitary states, such as Ukraine or Byelorussia (SSRs), or federations, such as Russia or Transcaucasia (SFSRs), all four being
12669-500: The town. The History Museum in Hrazdan, which was founded by Armen Aivazyan, features more than 4,000 historical pieces. Hrazdan TV is a private TV company in Hrazdan, founded by the family of Harutyunyan. The family also publishes a private newspaper and runs a radio company known as Hrazdan Radio . The number of the Hrazdan TV viewers is around 220,000. The company started broadcasting its programmes in 1 September 1991, covering
12792-492: The truth". Human rights in the Soviet Union were severely limited. The Soviet Union was a totalitarian state from 1927 until 1953 and a one-party state until 1990. Freedom of speech was suppressed and dissent was punished. Independent political activities were not tolerated, whether these involved participation in free labour unions , private corporations , independent churches or opposition political parties . The freedom of movement within and especially outside
12915-399: The well-preserved Holy Mother of God Church of 1301. The M-4 Motorway connects the province with the rest of Armenia. The local urban and rural settlements are connected to each other with a well-developed network of roads. Being very close to the capital Yerevan, the towns of Kotayk are regularly connected with the capital city through mini bus trips operating throughout the day. Kotayk
13038-527: The west further raised concerns. In the past, there were accidents involving submarines K-19 , K-8 , a K-129 , K-27 , K-219 and K-278 Komsomolets . There were three power hierarchies in the Soviet Union: the legislature represented by the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union , the government represented by the Council of Ministers , and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU),
13161-465: The world's largest lakes; the Caspian Sea (shared with Iran ), and Lake Baikal , the world's largest (by volume) and deepest freshwater lake that is also an internal body of water in Russia. Neighbouring countries were aware of the high levels of pollution in the Soviet Union but after the dissolution of the Soviet Union it was discovered that its environmental problems were greater than what
13284-624: Was a coastline . The country bordered Afghanistan , the People's Republic of China , Czechoslovakia , Finland , Hungary , Iran , Mongolia , North Korea , Norway , Poland , Romania , and Turkey from 1945 to 1991. The Bering Strait separated the USSR from the United States . The country's highest mountain was Communism Peak (now Ismoil Somoni Peak ) in Tajikistan , at 7,495 metres (24,590 ft). The USSR also included most of
13407-539: Was also the industrial center of the Soviet Union. Historian Matthew White wrote that it was an open secret that the country's federal structure was 'window dressing' for Russian dominance. For that reason, the people of the USSR were usually called 'Russians', not 'Soviets', since 'everyone knew who really ran the show'. Under the Military Law of September 1925, the Soviet Armed Forces consisted of
13530-483: Was brought under strict party control after Stalin's death. Under Yuri Andropov , the KGB engaged in the suppression of political dissent and maintained an extensive network of informers, reasserting itself as a political actor to some extent independent of the party-state structure, culminating in the anti-corruption campaign targeting high-ranking party officials in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The constitution , which
13653-595: Was carried out within the terms of the Soviet Civil Code. Some Soviet legal scholars even said that "criminal repression" may be applied in the absence of guilt. Martin Latsis , chief of Soviet Ukraine 's secret police explained: "Do not look in the file of incriminating evidence to see whether or not the accused rose up against the Soviets with arms or words. Ask him instead to which class he belongs, what
13776-475: Was colloquially, but incorrectly, referred to as Russia . The history of the Soviet Union began with the ideals of the Bolshevik Revolution and ended in dissolution amidst economic collapse and political disintegration. Established in 1922 following the Russian Civil War , the Soviet Union quickly became a one-party state under the Communist Party . Its early years under Lenin were marked by
13899-431: Was directly ruled by the Arsacid kings of Armenia during the first and second centuries AD. Between the fifth and seventh centuries, the region was granted to the Kamsarakan and Amatuni families, under the Persian rule. Between the seventh and ninth centuries, Armenia was under an Arab Islamic occupation. By the end of the 9th century, the region became part of the newly established Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia. Between
14022-404: Was dissolved, resulting in its constituent republics of Armenia , Georgia and Azerbaijan being elevated to Union Republics, while Kazakhstan and Kirghizia were split off from the Russian SFSR, resulting in the same status. In August 1940, Moldavia was formed from parts of Ukraine and Soviet-occupied Bessarabia , and Ukrainian SSR. Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania were also annexed by
14145-460: Was incorporated into an urban-type settlement known as Hrazdan. Akta raion was also renamed as Hrazdan raion . The original urban development plan of Hrazdan was introduced between 1961 and 1963 by architects M. Grigoryan and E. Altunyan. Upon the January 12, 1963 decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR on the territorial changes in the state, the villages of Vanatur, Jrarat, Kakavadzor and Makravan were merged within Hrazdan to become
14268-424: Was no large-scale fighting directly between the two superpowers , but they each supported major regional conflicts known as proxy wars . The conflict was based around the ideological and geopolitical struggle for global influence by these two superpowers, following their temporary alliance and victory against Nazi Germany in 1945. Aside from the nuclear arsenal development and conventional military deployment,
14391-450: Was not independent of the other branches of government. The Supreme Court supervised the lower courts ( People's Court ) and applied the law as established by the constitution or as interpreted by the Supreme Soviet. The Constitutional Oversight Committee reviewed the constitutionality of laws and acts. The Soviet Union used the inquisitorial system of Roman law , where the judge, procurator , and defence attorney collaborate to "establish
14514-485: Was promulgated in 1924 , 1936 and 1977 , did not limit state power. No formal separation of powers existed between the Party, Supreme Soviet and Council of Ministers that represented executive and legislative branches of the government. The system was governed less by statute than by informal conventions, and no settled mechanism of leadership succession existed. Bitter and at times deadly power struggles took place in
14637-540: Was repeatedly postponed. Formal recognition came when the new Labour Party came to power in 1924. All the other countries followed suit in opening trade relations. Henry Ford opened large-scale business relations with the Soviets in the late 1920s, hoping that it would lead to long-term peace. Finally, in 1933, the United States officially recognized the USSR, a decision backed by the public opinion and especially by US business interests that expected an opening of
14760-543: Was that "the Constitution was written not for you, but for American Negroes, so that they know how happy the lives of Soviet citizens are". Crime was determined not as the infraction of law, instead, it was determined as any action which could threaten the Soviet state and society. For example, a desire to make a profit could be interpreted as a counter-revolutionary activity punishable by death. The liquidation and deportation of millions of peasants in 1928–31
14883-587: Was the Russian responsibility to assist them. The Comintern was the weapon of choice. A few revolutions did break out, but they were quickly suppressed (the longest lasting one was in Hungary)—the Hungarian Soviet Republic —lasted only from 21 March 1919 to 1 August 1919. The Russian Bolsheviks were in no position to give any help. By 1921, Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin realized that capitalism had stabilized itself in Europe and there would not be any widespread revolutions anytime soon. It became
15006-404: Was the first major accident at a civilian nuclear power plant . Unparalleled in the world, it resulted in a large number of radioactive isotopes being released into the atmosphere. Radioactive doses were scattered relatively far. Although long-term effects of the accident were unknown, 4,000 new cases of thyroid cancer which resulted from the accident's contamination were reported at the time of
15129-486: Was the party itself monolithic from top to bottom, although factions were officially banned . The Supreme Soviet (successor of the Congress of Soviets ) was nominally the highest state body for most of the Soviet history, at first acting as a rubber stamp institution, approving and implementing all decisions made by the party. However, its powers and functions were extended in the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, including
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