Oktyabrskiy Air Base

The air base was closed following the disbandment of the military unit stationed there. This was part of the large-scale reduction and reorganization of the Russian Armed Forces after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Specifically, the Kachinskoye Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, which operated the base, was dissolved in 1998, leading to the closure of its network of training airfields, including Oktyabrskiy.

The air base is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. Satellite imagery shows the concrete runway, taxiways, and aircraft revetments are still visible but are heavily cracked, weathered, and overgrown with grass and shrubs. Most of the support infrastructure, including hangars, barracks, and technical buildings, are in ruins or have been dismantled for building materials. The site is not used for any official purpose and is freely accessible, showing no signs of maintenance or security.

Oktyabrskiy Air Base was a key training facility for the renowned Kachinskoye Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (Качинское ВВАУЛ), one of the oldest and most famous pilot training institutions in the Soviet Union and Russia. The base was home to the 706th Training Aviation Regiment (706-й УАП). Operations primarily involved training cadets on jet trainer aircraft, including the Aero L-29 Delfín and later the Aero L-39 Albatros. The airfield was part of a cluster of training bases in the Volgograd region dedicated to preparing future pilots for the Soviet and later Russian Air Force.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening the Oktyabrskiy Air Base. The significant deterioration of the infrastructure would require a complete reconstruction, which is economically and strategically unviable given the consolidation of Russian military flight training at other, more modern facilities. The site is expected to continue its decay and remain abandoned.