Veshchevo Naval Air Base

Military restructuring and strategic downsizing. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the Russian Armed Forces underwent massive reductions due to severe economic constraints and a re-evaluation of military doctrine at the end of the Cold War. Veshchevo, like many other Soviet-era military installations, was deemed redundant or too costly to maintain. The air regiment stationed there was disbanded, and its aircraft were relocated to other active bases.

The site is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. The main runway and taxiways are heavily cracked, with vegetation growing through the concrete slabs. The hardened aircraft shelters, barracks, administrative buildings, and hangars are derelict, heavily vandalized, and have been stripped of all valuable materials. The site is a popular destination for urban explorers, photographers, and airsoft players. It is not used for any official purpose and is considered a military ghost town.

The air base has a dual history.

1. **Finnish Period (1939-1944):** Originally, the airfield was built by Finland in 1939 and named 'Suulajärvi'. It was located in territory that was then part of Finland. It saw use by the Finnish Air Force during the Winter War (1939-1940) and the Continuation War (1941-1944). After the Moscow Armistice of 1944, the territory was ceded to the Soviet Union.

2. **Soviet Period (1944-1993):** The Soviets took over and expanded the airfield, renaming it Veshchevo. It became a significant forward operating base for Soviet Naval Aviation (AV-MF), specifically as part of the Baltic Fleet's air arm. For most of its history, it was home to the 66th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (66-й АПИБ), which was later re-designated as a Bomber Aviation Regiment (66-й БАП). The regiment initially flew aircraft like the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17, later upgrading to the Sukhoi Su-17 'Fitter' fighter-bomber. In its final years of operation, the base hosted the advanced Sukhoi Su-24M 'Fencer' tactical bombers. Its primary role was maritime strike, anti-shipping operations, and ground attack missions in the Baltic Sea theater, posing a significant threat to NATO naval forces during the Cold War.

There have been multiple, but so far unsuccessful, plans to redevelop the site. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the government of Leningrad Oblast actively promoted a project to reconstruct Veshchevo into a civilian international airport. The plan was to create a low-cost carrier hub for St. Petersburg and a major air cargo facility, leveraging its long runway and strategic location near the Finnish border. However, these plans repeatedly stalled due to a lack of private investment, bureaucratic hurdles with the Ministry of Defence (which still formally owns the land), and the high cost of reconstruction. As of the early 2020s, the project is considered frozen or abandoned, and there are no active, credible prospects for the airport's reopening in the near future.