Andryushkino Airport

Primarily economic reasons. The state-subsidized model of Aeroflot, which made flights to remote settlements affordable, ended with the Soviet Union's collapse. The successor regional airlines could not afford to maintain the airport infrastructure (unpaved runway, small terminal) or operate regular, unprofitable flights to such a small community. The decline in the local state-run economy (reindeer herding, fishing) also reduced the demand and financial viability of the airport.

The airport is abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows a clearly defined but unmaintained dirt/gravel runway. The associated buildings, likely a small passenger terminal and service sheds, are derelict. The site is not used for any regular aviation. The village of Andryushkino now relies on seasonal winter roads ('zimniks') for heavy cargo and helicopter transport for passengers, mail, and emergency services. The old runway may be used as an ad-hoc or emergency landing zone for helicopters, but it is not a certified or maintained facility.

Andryushkino Airport (Soviet ICAO: УЕСН / UESN) was a vital lifeline for the remote village of Andryushkino in the Nizhnekolymsky District of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). As a Class E local airfield, it was the only year-round connection to the outside world for this predominantly Yukaghir settlement. Operations primarily consisted of passenger, mail, and cargo transport, linking the village to the district center, Chersky (UESS), and other regional hubs. The airport typically handled rugged, STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft suitable for unpaved runways, such as the Antonov An-2, and occasionally the larger An-24 or An-26, as well as Mil Mi-8 helicopters. It was essential for delivering medical supplies, food, and personnel, and for providing medical evacuation services.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Andryushkino Airport. While Russia has a federal program to reconstruct and modernize airports in the Arctic and Far East, the focus is on larger, more strategic regional hubs. The high cost of rebuilding, certifying, and operating an airport for a village with a population of less than 800 makes it economically unfeasible. The future of air transport for Andryushkino is expected to continue to rely on helicopter services, which are more cost-effective and require minimal infrastructure (a certified helipad rather than a full runway).