Letneozerskiy Air Base

The closure was a direct result of the large-scale military downsizing and strategic realignment that occurred after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The primary operational unit stationed at the base, the 524th Fighter Aviation Regiment (524 IAP), was disbanded in 1994. With the loss of its sole tenant unit and facing severe economic constraints, the Russian government deemed the base redundant and it was subsequently abandoned.

The air base is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. Satellite imagery confirms that the main runway, taxiways, and numerous aircraft revetments are still structurally intact but are heavily weathered, cracked, and being reclaimed by vegetation. Most of the support buildings, barracks, and hangars are derelict, with many appearing to have been stripped of valuable materials or partially collapsed. The site is not maintained and sees no official use. It is effectively a ghost facility, a relic of the Cold War.

Letneozerskiy Air Base was a significant strategic asset for the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO) throughout the Cold War. Its primary purpose was to guard the northern airspace of the USSR against intrusion by NATO bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. The base was home to the 524th Fighter Aviation Regiment, which operated a series of interceptor aircraft. Early in its history, the regiment flew aircraft like the MiG-17, Yak-25, and Su-9. Its most notable role was as a base for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25P/PD 'Foxbat'. The MiG-25 was a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor specifically designed to counter threats like the American B-70 Valkyrie bomber (which was never deployed) and the SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft. The base's location in the Arkhangelsk Oblast was critical for providing an early line of defense for key industrial and military centers in northwestern Russia.

There are no known official plans, government announcements, or credible reports to suggest any prospect of reopening or reactivating Letneozerskiy Air Base. The infrastructure is severely degraded, and the cost of restoring the runway, taxiways, and support facilities to operational standards would be substantial. While Russia has been investing in modernizing some of its Arctic and northern military bases, Letneozerskiy does not appear to be among the sites selected for redevelopment.