Ashchebutak Air Base

The air base was closed as a direct consequence of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and subsequent large-scale military reforms in Russia. The parent institution, the Orenburg Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (OVVAUL), was disbanded in 1993. As a result, its subordinate training regiments, including the one at Ashchebutak, were also disbanded. The closure was driven by a combination of reduced military budgets, a decreased need for new pilots, and a strategic reorganization of the armed forces.

The site is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. Satellite imagery and ground-level explorations show a derelict facility. The concrete runway and taxiways remain visible but are cracked, weathered, and being reclaimed by vegetation. Aircraft revetments and shelters are empty and crumbling. The buildings of the associated military town (garrison), including barracks, administrative offices, and hangars, are in ruins, with many having been stripped for building materials by locals over the years. The site is not used for any official purpose and has become a destination for urban explorers and photographers.

Ashchebutak Air Base was a significant military training facility for the Soviet Air Force. It was home to the 606th Training Aviation Regiment (606 UAP), a component of the renowned Orenburg Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots. The primary mission of the base was the flight training of military cadets. For decades, cadets learned to fly on jet trainer aircraft, starting with the Aero L-29 Delfin and later transitioning to the Aero L-39 Albatros. The base played a crucial role in the Soviet military's pilot production pipeline, training thousands of pilots who would go on to serve across the USSR and its allied nations.

There are no known or publicly discussed plans to reopen or reactivate Ashchebutak Air Base. The infrastructure is beyond simple repair and would require a complete and costly reconstruction. Given the extensive decay, its remote location, and the Russian military's focus on modernizing existing, active bases, the prospect of reopening Ashchebutak is considered extremely unlikely.