The Russian Federation includes more than twenty republics. One of them is Udmurtia. The capital of this federal subject is Izhevsk.
Basic information
About 640 thousand people live in Izhevsk. It is the twentieth largest city in the country. It is known for its defense and weapons businesses. Most of this industry appeared in the city during the Great Patriotic War. Izhevsk is the unofficial arms capital of Russia. This status can only be contested by Tula.
History
The city was founded in 1760 on the banks of the Izh River, thanks to which it got its name. In the 18th century, there was only a lone iron factory here. The metal had been discovered in the interfluves of the Kama several decades earlier. It was an era when Russian settlers actively settled in the Urals, which became the country's Stone Belt. Industry began to develop under Peter I, it was he who exploited all the resources within the state for the development and reorganization of the outdated army.
His descendants continued this policy, giving privileges to industrialists who dared to open factories in the outback. Some ofthey became influential and we althy magnates, such as the Demidovs. The Ural deposits for a time blocked the discovery of ore in the place where modern Udmurtia is now located. The capital of the republic, Izhevsk, began as a small steel plant.
Initially, the metal that was produced in these places was sent to Tula, where guns, guns, etc. were made from it. Most of the time it was state-owned, it was not independent industrialists who disposed of it, but government officials. In 1774, the Izhevsk plant was captured by the army of Emelyan Pugachev. The rebels executed the leaders of the enterprise. Pugachev was also supported by the Udmurts, the indigenous inhabitants of these lands. The national question in this province was not resolved for centuries. All Udmurt land was located on the territory of the Vyatka province.
The arrival of Soviet power
After the revolution of 1917 and the victory in the civil war, the Bolsheviks began to form republics. These formations were part of the RSFSR. At first, the Votskaya Autonomous Region was located in the region. Its capital was Glazov, later Izhevsk. In 1934, the Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed. Soon the constitution of the state entity was adopted.
At the same time, Izhevsk was being settled, which finally became the capital of the republic. In 1935, the first trams appeared in the city. Completed electrification of houses. This is how the Republic of Udmurtia developed. Its capital did not lag behind other Soviet cities.
During the war
During the Great Patriotic War, the country's leadership had to urgently shelter factories that were located in the western occupied regions. Equipment from enterprises was transported in parts to the regions in the rear, and Udmurtia was one such place. The capital of the republic received about 40 new factories, most of which remained here in peacetime. The choice of Izhevsk was not accidental. This city historically grew up on the site of an iron and steel factory.
First of all, enterprises that could help the country in the fight against the Wehrmacht were evacuated to the east. These were weapons and automobile factories, which were rebuilt for the production of tanks and other armored vehicles.
After the war
During the years of the war, more than 12 million units of various weapons were produced in Izhevsk. Many specialists evacuated to the city stayed here and started families. In 1948, industrial mass production of the Kalashnikov assault rifle began. His model AK-47 became a universal weapon - the most popular around the world in the second half of the 20th century.
Another industry also developed in the city. In 1966, the first Izhevsk cars appeared. Their mass production began a few years later. In 1984, Izhevsk was renamed Ustinov, in honor of Dmitry Ustinov. He was the Marshal and Minister of Defense of the USSR, who during the war and after it did a lot to ensure that a new industry appeared in the city. Howeverthe state decision to rename the city was not popular among citizens. During the years of perestroika, a public campaign began for the return of the historical name. As a result, in 1987 the old name Izhevsk was returned to the city.
In the Russian Federation
The modern Udmurt Republic, whose capital continues to develop, is part of the Volga Federal District. Izhevsk is divided into five administrative districts. There are several universities in the city that produce a large number of specialists, thanks to which Udmurtia does not stand still. The capital of the republic is famous for its city holidays, where residents get acquainted with the culture of the indigenous people.
Modern industry of Izhevsk for a quarter consists of the production of vehicles and equipment for them. The city actively maintains ties with regional centers, including Glazov. This is the former capital of Udmurtia (in 1921), when the region was Votskaya Oblast. Another important regional center, Sarapul, also has its own industry that meets local needs.
For the Russian Federation, such a region as the Udmurt Republic is important. The capital and regional centers of the subject are developing, despite any difficulties. This is done through the inflow of capital. Various investments are attracted to Izhevsk. The capital of Udmurtia closely cooperates with the Togliatti VAZ and other enterprises of the country that open their branches in the city.
