Nurmalitsy Air Base

Post-Soviet military restructuring and downsizing. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Russian military underwent a period of significant budget cuts and strategic reorganization. The aviation regiment stationed at Nurmalitsy was disbanded as part of this process, and the base was deemed surplus to requirements. The retirement of the Su-17 aircraft fleet, which was based here, was also a contributing factor.

The air base is completely abandoned and in a state of severe decay. Satellite imagery and ground-level reports show that the main runway, taxiways, and aircraft revetments are still clearly visible but are crumbling, heavily weathered, and being reclaimed by nature with grass and small trees growing through cracks in the concrete. Most of the associated buildings, including hangars, barracks, and technical facilities, are in ruins, having been stripped of valuable materials and left to collapse. The site is a destination for urban explorers and is sometimes used by locals for informal activities like car racing and driver training on the remaining stretches of pavement.

Nurmalitsy was a key Soviet Air Force (VVS) and later Russian Air Force base located within the Leningrad Military District. Its primary historical significance lies in hosting the 5th Guards Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (5-й гвардейский авиационный полк истребителей-бомбардировщиков, 5-й гв. АПИБ). The regiment operated Sukhoi Su-17 (NATO reporting name: 'Fitter') fighter-bomber aircraft, specifically later variants like the Su-17M3 and Su-17M4. The base's strategic role was to provide ground attack and tactical bombing capabilities in the northwestern strategic direction, facing potential NATO forces in Scandinavia and Northern Europe. The airfield features a typical Soviet design with a main runway and a network of taxiways leading to dispersed, hardened aircraft shelters (revetments) to protect aircraft from attack.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Nurmalitsy Air Base. The cost of restoring the heavily deteriorated infrastructure (runway, taxiways, buildings, navigation aids) to operational standards would be prohibitive. The site holds little to no current strategic military value, and there is no economic case for converting it into a civilian airport given the sparse population in the surrounding area. It is expected to continue its slow decay and remain an abandoned relic of the Cold War.