Anwyn Urquhart

pg. 304 — papasha
Russian for papa or daddy. In this context, a younger guard refers to Yedigei as papasha so it is more of a term of respect for an elder.

pg. 307 — Lieutenant Tansykbaev
Lieutenant commander of the base that is now covering Ana-Beiit. It is mentioned that he might be related to Hawkeye, the investigator, since they share the same last name, but that is neither confirmed, nor denied.

pg. 308 — Beria
Lavrenity Beria (1899-1953), one of Joseph Stalin's secret police chiefs. In 1953 he was arrested and executed for treason, terrorism, and counter revolutionary activity during the Russian Civil War. He was also a serial rapist and was even suspected of killing some of the women. He is known as a power hungry man, even suspected of killing Stalin so that he might rise in ranks. 

pg. 309 — Alma-ata
The largest city in Kazakhstan and former capital of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic.

pg. 309 — Central Committee of the party of the Kazakh Republic
The communist party of Kazakhstan at the time. The heads of the party lived in Alma-ata. Yedigei is trying to get Abutalip's name cleared and he is hoping to do so through the government officials in Alma-ata.

pg. 310 — Internationale
A left-wing anthem written by anarchist Eugéne Pottier in 1871.

pg. 313 — Ala-Tau mountains
Alatau is a network of mountain ranges throughout central Asia. Also called the Tian Shan. 

pg. 315 — Goethe
Refers to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) a German writer and statesman. Considered to be one of the greatest German writers of his time. When he was 74 he fell in love with teenager Ulrike von Levetzow, much how Raimaly-aga fell in love with the young Begimai.

pg. 318 — ZIM
A Soviet limousine given to mid-ranked Soviet administrators in government, education, agriculture, and industry.

pg. 323 — Turkestan Krai
A krai is a geographical region of the Russian Empire. The Turkestan Krai is in the south Kazakh steppes.

pg. 323 — Basmachi rebels
In 1916 the Russian empire began drafting muslims and in response the people of the Kazakh steppes, who were predominantly muslim, revolted. The Basmachi rebels were those opposed to the drafting of muslims. Yelizarov fought on the Soviet side when he was younger.

pg. 323 — October Revolution
An armed revolution led by Vladimir Lenin of the Bolshevik party. The revolt happened in Saint Petersburg on October 25, 1917. It was following high tensions in Russia and a previous revolution in February. It was the cause of the Russian Civil War. A provisional government had come to replace the tsarist autocracy after the February Revolution, but the people wanted an even more left-wing government leading to the October Revolution, Russia's Civil War, and, ultimately, the Soviet Union. 

pg.324 — Semirech’ye
A historical name for the southeastern area of modern day Kazakhstan.

pg. 326 — white-tailed eagle
There is a lot of animal imagery and parallels with the humans. Here, though the eagle does not seem to be connected to any of the characters, but instead it provides a perspective that is separated from the narrative. The eagle is just watching this funeral procession and the launch base, but doesn't have the context for which they exist. 

pg. 328 — gazik
A dune buggy