Stary Oskol

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Stary Oskol (Russian: Ста́рый Оско́л) is a city in Belgorod Oblast, Russia. It is located at 51°18′N, 37°51′E, about 500 km south of Moscow, on the Oskol River. Population: 217,900 (2004 est.); 215,898 (2002 Census).

It was founded as a fortress in 1593, as part of the southern fortification line around Moscow. In the 17th century, the town was sacked by Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian Cossacks. Later it was affected by the Russian Civil War in 1919, as well as World War II. After World War II industry developed in the city and its population started to grow.

Stary Oskol is an important mining town of iron ore, situated at the border of the Kursk magnetic anomaly, one of the largest deposits of iron ore worldwide. More than eight million tons of iron ore are mined here per year. For this reason there is also a branch of the Moscow Federal Institute of Steel and Alloys in the city.

Stary Oskol is twinned with Salzgitter, Germany since 1987. It is served by Stary Oskol Airport.

The city is the adoptive hometown of Mixed Martial Artist Fedor Emelianenko

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