Torbusha Airstrip

Economic and demographic reasons. The airstrip was closed because the settlement of Torbusha, which it exclusively served, was liquidated. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, state support for many remote, single-industry (often fishing) villages in the Russian Far East ceased. This led to economic failure, mass depopulation, and the eventual official abolition of the settlement, rendering the airstrip obsolete.

The site is completely abandoned and derelict. Satellite imagery of the coordinates reveals a faint, overgrown outline of a single unpaved runway adjacent to the coast. There are no visible buildings, infrastructure, or signs of any human activity. The former airstrip is being reclaimed by the surrounding natural landscape and is inaccessible.

During the Soviet era, Torbusha Airstrip was a critical piece of infrastructure and a lifeline for the isolated coastal settlement of Torbusha. It was part of the extensive local air services network (Mestnyye Vozdushnyye Linii - MVL) operated by Aeroflot. The airstrip primarily handled small, robust aircraft like the Antonov An-2 biplane and Mil Mi-8 helicopters. These flights were the primary means of transporting passengers, mail, medical personnel, and essential supplies, connecting the remote community to regional centers like Ossora.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Torbusha Airstrip. The fundamental reason for its existence—the settlement of Torbusha—no longer exists. Without a local population or any economic development in the immediate, remote area, there is no justification for the significant investment required to rebuild and operate the airstrip. It is considered permanently closed.