Idritsa Air Base

The air base was closed as a result of military restructuring and force consolidation following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The primary unit stationed at the base, the 334th Military Transport Aviation Regiment, was relocated to the Pskov Air Base, leading to the closure and subsequent abandonment of the Idritsa facility.

The site is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. Satellite imagery confirms that the airfield's layout, including a large runway, taxiways, and numerous aircraft hardstands, remains visible but is heavily deteriorated and overgrown with vegetation. The base's buildings, such as hangars, barracks, and administrative facilities, are derelict and in ruins. The site is not used for any aviation purposes and stands as a military ghost town, slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Idritsa Air Base was a key Soviet Air Force installation, primarily serving as the home of the 334th 'Berlin Red Banner' Military Transport Aviation Regiment (334 VTAP). This regiment was a component of the 3rd Guards Military Transport Aviation Division. Historically, the regiment operated Antonov An-12 'Cub' transport aircraft before transitioning to the larger, more capable Ilyushin Il-76 'Candid' strategic airlifters in the late 1970s. The base and its Il-76 fleet were instrumental in Soviet military logistics, playing a vital role in major operations, most notably the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989), where they were heavily involved in airlifting troops, supplies, and equipment into Afghanistan.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Idritsa Air Base. The extensive cost required to repair the dilapidated runway and rebuild the entire infrastructure, combined with the proximity of other active and modernized military airfields (like Pskov), makes its reactivation for either military or civilian purposes economically and strategically unfeasible.