The Akim of VKO denied that the population is leaving Ust-Kamenogorsk due to time changes and environmental issues.

At a briefing, the akim of the East Kazakhstan region, Ermek Kosherbaev, commented on the issue of population outflow from Ust-Kamenogorsk, which is linked to environmental problems and time changes. According to him, the city's population is actually growing, and the outflow is primarily observed in rural areas, as reported by IA "NewTimes.kz".

“I cannot say that this (environmental problems and time changes — Ed. note) are the reasons for outflow. On the contrary, the population of Ust-Kamenogorsk is increasing. For example, in 2014, the number was around 330–340 thousand people, and by 2024 it has grown by almost 60 thousand. I believe it is not appropriate to talk about outflow today,” noted Kosherbaev.

According to the akim, the issue of population outflow is more acute in rural areas, where people do not always have access to basic living conditions.

“Residents leave the villages because not everywhere are there adequate living conditions — water, internet, roads, medical care. We aim to rectify this so that people understand that it is also possible to live comfortably in the village, receive education, and medical assistance,” he emphasized.

At the same time, Kosherbaev acknowledged that the environmental situation in Ust-Kamenogorsk remains complex and has historical roots. The akim reminded that the city was built during Soviet times, and environmental aspects were not sufficiently taken into account then. The city is located downstream of the Irtysh River, which creates additional challenges. For example, warm water from water bodies raises moisture that mixes with emissions, especially in winter. This affects air quality. However, he added that it is incorrect to directly link environmental problems with population outflow:

“I have not seen such cases. Perhaps someone thinks about it, but I do not observe mass outflow,” said the akim.

It is worth noting that at the same briefing at the SCK, the akim of the VKO assured that the situation with accidents at the Ridder CHPP would not recur.