Tetrino Airfield

Economic reasons following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The state-subsidized system of local air services, which had been operated by regional divisions of Aeroflot, collapsed. The routes to small, remote villages like Tetrino became financially unviable for the new, smaller airlines, leading to the widespread closure of such airfields across Russia.

The airfield is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery of the coordinates shows a distinct, straight clearing in the landscape where the dirt/gravel runway used to be. The runway is now overgrown with grass and shrubs, and there are no visible signs of maintenance, buildings, or aviation activity. The site is slowly being reclaimed by the surrounding tundra and forest.

Tetrino Airfield was a vital transportation hub for the remote Pomor village of Tetrino, located on the Tersky Coast of the White Sea. As part of the vast Soviet network of local air lines (Местные воздушные линии - МВЛ), it provided an essential connection to regional centers like Umba. The airfield primarily handled small, robust aircraft such as the Antonov An-2 biplane and possibly helicopters. For much of the year, when the sea was frozen or stormy and overland travel was impossible due to lack of roads, the airfield was the only reliable link for passenger travel, mail delivery, medical supplies, and emergency medical evacuations (sanitary aviation). It was a lifeline that connected the isolated community to the rest of the country.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Tetrino Airfield. The population of Tetrino has dwindled to a very small number of residents, making scheduled air service economically impossible. Furthermore, modern emergency and specialized transport needs in such remote areas are typically met by helicopters, which can land without a prepared runway. There is no strategic or economic incentive for the significant investment required to restore and operate the airfield.