Okeanskoye Airfield

The closure was a direct result of the post-Soviet military drawdown and the severe economic crisis of the 1990s. The primary military unit, the 528th Fighter Aviation Regiment, was disbanded, making the base's primary function obsolete. The high cost of maintaining a full fighter regiment and its supporting infrastructure in such a remote and harsh environment was unsustainable. Following the military's departure, the unpaved runway and ground facilities deteriorated quickly, making it unsafe and uneconomical for the limited civilian flights it once supported.

The site is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows a clearly visible but derelict and overgrown runway and taxiways. Any remaining buildings are in a state of ruin. The airfield is unusable for any form of aviation and exists as a decaying relic of its Japanese and Soviet-era military past.

The airfield has significant dual-era history. It was originally constructed by the Empire of Japan during World War II and known as Kashiwabara Airfield, serving as a major base for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force on Paramushir Island. After the Soviet Union took control of the Kuril Islands in August 1945, the airfield was repurposed and renamed Okeanskoye. During the Cold War, it became a crucial forward operating base for the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO). It hosted the 528th Fighter Aviation Regiment (528 IAP), which operated interceptor aircraft including the MiG-17, MiG-21, and later the MiG-23MLD. Its mission was to patrol the strategic airspace between the Kamchatka Peninsula, Japan, and the US Aleutian Islands. In addition to its military importance, it served as the essential civilian air link for the town of Severo-Kurilsk, handling passenger and cargo flights with aircraft like the Antonov An-24/26 and Mi-8 helicopters, connecting the isolated island to the mainland.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the old Okeanskoye Airfield. It has been made permanently obsolete by a new infrastructure project. The Russian government is constructing a brand-new, modern airport for Severo-Kurilsk at a different, more suitable location on Paramushir Island. Construction on this new airport began in 2022 and is designed to provide a reliable, all-weather air connection with a paved runway capable of handling modern regional aircraft. This new development entirely replaces any need to restore the old, deteriorated Okeanskoye site.