Slavgorod South Air Base

The air base was closed as a direct result of the large-scale restructuring and downsizing of the Russian Armed Forces following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Specifically, its parent institution, the Barnaul Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots (BVVAUL), was disbanded in 1999. With the closure of the main flight school, its subordinate training regiments and airfields, including the one at Slavgorod, were deemed redundant and subsequently disbanded due to severe economic constraints and a reduced need for new military pilots at the time.

The air base is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. Satellite imagery and local reports confirm that the runway, taxiways, and aircraft aprons are crumbling, with significant vegetation growth and missing concrete slabs. Most of the infrastructure, including hangars, barracks, and technical buildings, is derelict, heavily vandalized, and has been systematically scavenged for building materials over the years. The territory is unsecured and is sometimes used by locals for unauthorized activities such as street racing and informal driver training. It has no official use and is not maintained.

Slavgorod South was a significant military training air base for the Soviet Air Force and, for a short time, the Russian Air Force. It was the home of the 59th Training Aviation Regiment (59-й учебный авиационный полк, 59 UAP), a component of the Barnaul Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots. The base's primary function was the flight training of military cadets. For many years, it was a crucial site where future fighter and bomber pilots received their initial jet training, flying hundreds of thousands of hours. The primary aircraft operated from the base were the Aero L-29 Delfin, which was later replaced by the more advanced Aero L-39 Albatros jet trainer. The base was instrumental in the standardized Soviet pilot training system.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening or reactivating the Slavgorod South Air Base. The cost of restoring the heavily degraded infrastructure, including the runway, navigation systems, and buildings, would be prohibitive. Given the lack of a current strategic military requirement for the base and the sufficient capacity of other active airfields in the region, its revival for either military or civilian purposes is considered highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.