Zavetnoe Airport

Primarily economic reasons. With the end of the Soviet era, the centralized funding for Aeroflot's vast network of local air routes (Mestnyye Vozdushnyye Linii - MVL) was eliminated. The route to Zavetnoe, like thousands of similar routes across Russia, became economically unviable and was subsequently abandoned. The decline in demand and the high operational costs for a small rural community could no longer be sustained without state subsidies.

The airport is abandoned and derelict. Satellite imagery shows a clearly visible, unpaved runway and taxiways that are heavily overgrown with grass and vegetation. The small terminal and support buildings are still standing but appear to be in a state of disrepair. The site is not used for any aviation purposes and shows no signs of maintenance. The land is effectively unused, returning to nature.

Zavetnoe Airport was a typical Soviet-era local airfield, serving as a vital transportation link for the Zavetinsky District, a remote agricultural region in Rostov Oblast. Its primary role was connecting the local population with larger regional centers, likely Rostov-on-Don and Elista. Operations were almost exclusively handled by Antonov An-2 utility aircraft. These flights carried passengers, mail, and essential cargo. The airfield was also crucial for agricultural aviation (crop dusting and spraying) and served as a base for air ambulance services, providing critical medical access for the community.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Zavetnoe Airport. The economic and demographic conditions that would support such a facility no longer exist. The local transportation needs are now met by road networks, and the cost of rehabilitating and operating the airfield for the very limited potential traffic is prohibitive. Reopening is considered extremely unlikely.