ALMATY — Kazakhs are voting Sunday in a referendum on whether the country should build a new nuclear power plant. But critics say the vote goes beyond building an energy facility: It's also a referendum on Russia's influence over its tiny neighbor.
Companies from China, France, Japan and South Korea are on the shortlist to submit bids, but Russia's Rosatom is seen as the frontrunner to build the plant, which could cost $15 billion.