Vaiņode Air Base

The primary reason was geopolitical: the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent restoration of Latvia's independence. The base was a Soviet/Russian military installation on sovereign Latvian territory. After the occupying army withdrew, the newly independent Latvian state had no military requirement for such a large air base and lacked the financial resources to convert it for civilian use or maintain it.

The site is largely derelict and abandoned. Most of the concrete slabs from the runway and taxiways were famously dismantled in the 1990s and repurposed for construction projects across Latvia, including local roads and the expansion of the Ventspils port. The most significant current use of the territory is the 'Vaiņode Wind Park,' a large wind farm with numerous turbines erected on the former airfield grounds. The remaining buildings, hangars, and hardened shelters are in a state of ruin and are a popular destination for urban explorers and military history enthusiasts. Some parts of the land may be used for local agriculture.

Vaiņode has a rich military history dating back to World War I, when it was established by the German Empire as a base for Zeppelin airships (Luftschiffhafen Wainoden), featuring two of the largest airship hangars in the region.

During the Cold War, it became one of the most important Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO) front-line bases in the Baltic Military District. It was home to the elite 54th Guards Kerch Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment. The base hosted a succession of advanced Soviet interceptor aircraft, including the MiG-19, Su-15 'Flagon', and ultimately the formidable Su-27 'Flanker'. Its primary mission was to police the airspace over the Baltic Sea and intercept potential NATO aircraft. The site was heavily fortified with a 2,500-meter concrete runway, numerous hardened aircraft shelters (HAS), command bunkers, and a dedicated military town to support thousands of personnel.

There are no known official plans or realistic prospects for reopening Vaiņode as a functioning airport. Several factors make reopening unfeasible: the complete degradation of aviation infrastructure (including the physical removal of the runway), the prohibitive cost of reconstruction, the lack of economic or demographic demand in the rural region, and the proximity of the operational Liepāja International Airport (EVLA). Furthermore, the existing wind farm on the site presents a major physical and regulatory obstacle to any future aviation activity.