Kilpyavr Air Base

The closure was a direct result of the large-scale military reforms and severe budget cuts that followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Russian Armed Forces underwent a significant restructuring in the 1990s and early 2000s, which involved consolidating air assets, merging units, and closing numerous Cold War-era bases deemed redundant or too expensive to maintain. The air defense network on the Kola Peninsula was reconfigured, and Kilpyavr's role was absorbed by other remaining air bases.

The air base is currently abandoned and in a state of significant decay. Satellite imagery shows the long runway and extensive network of taxiways are cracked and overgrown with vegetation. The distinctive hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) that once protected the fighters are empty and deteriorating. The site is not used for any official military or civilian purpose and is effectively a military ghost town. The infrastructure is considered unusable without massive investment and reconstruction.

Kilpyavr was a key strategic air defense base for the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO) and later the Russian Northern Fleet during the Cold War. Its primary mission was to provide air cover for the vital naval bases of the Northern Fleet in Murmansk and Severomorsk, which housed the USSR's nuclear submarine fleet. It was home to the 967th Fighter Aviation Regiment (967 IAP). Throughout its operational history, the base hosted a succession of advanced interceptor aircraft, reflecting its importance:
- MiG-19 Farmer
- Yak-28P Firebar
- Su-15TM Flagon
- Su-27 Flanker (from 1986 until closure)
The presence of the elite Su-27s underscored its role as a first-line defense against potential NATO bomber and cruise missile attacks originating from over the Arctic.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening or reactivating Kilpyavr Air Base. While Russia has been engaged in a program to modernize and reopen some Soviet-era military bases in the Arctic, the focus has been on other, more strategically positioned locations. The significant cost required to restore the runway, taxiways, and support infrastructure, combined with the proximity of other active air bases on the Kola Peninsula (such as Severomorsk-3 and Monchegorsk), makes its reactivation highly unlikely.