Pogonnoye Airport

The airfield was abandoned due to the completion of its primary mission. It was a special-purpose facility built to support operations related to the Chernobyl disaster. As the large-scale liquidation and monitoring efforts scaled down, the need for a dedicated, fixed-wing airfield in this remote, radioactively contaminated location diminished. The high cost of maintenance and the lack of any further strategic or economic purpose led to its abandonment.

The site is an abandoned, single paved runway located deep within the restricted-access Polesie State Radioecological Reserve. The runway and surrounding infrastructure are in a state of decay, with the pavement cracked and vegetation slowly reclaiming the area. The location is inside a depopulated zone with significant radioactive contamination. The reserve itself is now a unique wildlife sanctuary and a site for long-term scientific research on the effects of radiation on ecosystems. The airfield is completely inactive and inaccessible to the public.

Pogonnoye Airfield's history is entirely linked to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It was constructed post-disaster within the highly contaminated territory that would become the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve (the Belarusian Exclusion Zone). Its sole purpose was to support the 'liquidator' efforts on Belarusian soil. The airfield was a critical base for aircraft involved in radiation monitoring, scientific research, and potentially cloud seeding operations (using aircraft like the An-2) to precipitate radioactive particles from the atmosphere and prevent their spread. It facilitated the transport of personnel and specialized equipment into the heart of the most affected area, playing a vital role in managing the disaster's immediate aftermath.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Pogonnoye Airfield. Its location within a permanent radioactive exclusion zone, the absence of any population or economic activity, and the lack of any logistical or strategic need make its reactivation unfeasible and highly improbable. Any necessary aerial surveillance or research is now conducted using helicopters or drones operating from bases outside the zone.