Chekurovka Air Base

The air base was closed for strategic and economic reasons following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Its controlling command, the Operational Group in the Arctic (OGA), which managed a network of forward Arctic airfields, was disbanded in 1993. The subsequent collapse of military funding and a re-evaluation of strategic needs in the post-Cold War era made the upkeep of such a remote and specialized base economically unviable.

The air base is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. Satellite imagery and reports confirm that the large gravel and ice runway is unmaintained and unusable. The aircraft revetments, taxiways, and support buildings are crumbling and being reclaimed by the Arctic environment. The site is a derelict relic of the Cold War, with no active personnel or equipment present.

Chekurovka was a critical Soviet Cold War strategic airfield, serving as a forward deployment or 'staging' base ('аэродром подскока') for the USSR's Long-Range Aviation (Дальняя авиация). Constructed in the 1950s, its primary purpose was to support and extend the range of strategic bomber patrols over the Arctic region. Heavy bombers, most notably the Tupolev Tu-95 'Bear', would use Chekurovka and other similar Arctic bases to refuel, allowing them to conduct extended missions, patrol closer to the North American coastline, and serve as a crucial component of the Soviet nuclear deterrent. The base was a key node in the network of airfields ensuring Soviet air power projection in the high north.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for the reopening of Chekurovka Air Base. While Russia has been actively modernizing and reopening several Soviet-era Arctic military bases since the 2010s, efforts in this specific region have been concentrated on the main Tiksi Airport (ICAO: UEST). The Russian Ministry of Defence has already invested significantly in reconstructing the runway and stationing air defense units at the primary Tiksi airport. Given that the nearby Tiksi Airport serves the modern strategic need, the reopening of the redundant and severely dilapidated Chekurovka base is considered highly unlikely.