Rēzekne Airfield

Military base abandonment. The airfield was a Soviet Air Force base that ceased operations following the dissolution of the USSR. The controlling military unit, the 899th Aviation Regiment, was relocated to Russia in 1993 as part of the general withdrawal of Russian military forces from Latvia, which was completed by 1994. The newly independent Latvian state had no military use for such a large airbase, and there was no economic justification to convert it into a major civilian airport.

The former airfield is now part of the Rēzekne Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and has been largely repurposed for industrial use. While the original runway and taxiway layout remain clearly visible from satellite imagery, the area is now an industrial park. It hosts several major manufacturing companies, including the plywood veneer factory 'VEREMS' RSEZ SIA and the metalworking company 'LEAX Rēzekne' RSEZ AS, which have built large facilities on the site. The remaining intact sections of the runway are sometimes used for local motorsport events, such as drag racing and driver training. Many of the hardened aircraft shelters are still standing, though in various states of decay.

During the Cold War, Rēzekne Airfield was a strategically important forward operating base for the Soviet Air Force, located within the Baltic Military District. It was primarily home to the 899th Orshansky Red Banner order of Suvorov Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (899 APIB), which was later re-designated as the 899th Assault Aviation Regiment (899 ShAP). This regiment operated a succession of aircraft, including MiG-17 'Fresco', Su-7 'Fitter', and most notably, the variable-geometry Su-24 'Fencer' tactical bomber. The base's infrastructure included a long concrete runway and numerous hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) designed to protect aircraft from attack.

There are no active or official plans to reopen Rēzekne Airfield for regular aviation traffic. The concept of developing the site into a regional airport for cargo or general aviation has been discussed in the past, particularly in national transport strategy studies over a decade ago. However, all recent and current development efforts by the Rēzekne City Council and the SEZ authority are focused exclusively on expanding the industrial park to attract more manufacturing and logistics companies. Given the significant investment in industrial infrastructure on the site and the high cost required to restore the decaying runway and build modern aviation facilities, the prospect of it reopening as a functional airport is considered extremely low.