Aitbuzum East Airport

The airport was a Soviet-era military airfield. Its closure was a result of military reorganization and economic factors following the collapse of the USSR. The newly independent Republic of Kazakhstan inherited a vast network of Soviet military infrastructure. It consolidated its air force at a smaller number of strategic, well-equipped bases, leading to the abandonment of smaller, redundant, or less important dispersal airfields like Aitbuzum East, which were no longer strategically necessary and were too costly to maintain.

The site is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. High-resolution satellite imagery shows that the runway and taxiway layout are still clearly visible on the landscape. However, the surfaces are severely degraded, unmaintained, and overgrown with vegetation, rendering them unusable for any aviation purposes. There are no intact buildings, hangars, or any other supporting infrastructure remaining on the site. The land has effectively reverted to the surrounding arid steppe environment and is not being used for any agricultural or industrial purpose.

Aitbuzum East Airport was a military airfield within the Soviet Union's Turkestan Military District. Its primary historical significance lies in its role during the Cold War. With a substantial runway approximately 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) long, it was capable of handling tactical military aircraft, including fighters, fighter-bombers, and medium-sized transport planes. It likely served as a dispersal airfield, designed to allow for the rapid relocation of aircraft from main operating bases in the event of a conflict, thereby increasing their survivability. The airport handled exclusively military operations and had no history of public passenger or commercial cargo traffic.

There are no known or publicly discussed plans to reopen or redevelop Aitbuzum East Airport. The prospects for its reopening are virtually zero. The site is remote, lacks any supporting infrastructure, and is in close proximity (approx. 100 km) to the large, modern, and operational Shymkent International Airport (UAII). The immense cost required to rebuild the airfield for either civilian or military use, combined with a lack of any economic or strategic demand, makes any such project unfeasible.