Gorny Air Base

The air base was closed following the disbandment of its resident aviation regiment. This was part of the large-scale military downsizing, restructuring, and consolidation that occurred throughout the Russian Federation in the 1990s due to severe economic constraints following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The air base is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced dereliction. Satellite imagery confirms that the runway, taxiways, and numerous hardened aircraft shelters are crumbling, cracked, and heavily overgrown with vegetation. Most buildings are in ruins, with many having collapsed roofs. The site is not used for any official purpose and has become a destination for urban explorers and photographers. The former military town associated with the base is now the civilian settlement of Svetly.

Gorny Air Base was a significant Soviet Air Forces installation during the Cold War. It was the home base for the 271st Bomber Aviation Regiment (271 BAP), which flew Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name: Fencer) tactical bombers. These aircraft were a core component of the Soviet Union's tactical strike and interdiction capabilities. The base's strategic importance was amplified by its proximity to the closed administrative-territorial formation (ZATO) of Svetly (formerly known as Gorny-2), which housed the headquarters and missile silos of the 60th Taman Rocket Division, a key element of the Strategic Rocket Forces. The air base likely provided a layer of tactical air power and defense for this critical ICBM installation.

There are no known official plans, discussions, or credible prospects for the reopening or reactivation of Gorny Air Base. The infrastructure has degraded to a point where restoration would be prohibitively expensive, essentially requiring a complete reconstruction. The Russian Ministry of Defence has focused its resources on modernizing and upgrading its existing, operational airfields rather than resurrecting long-abandoned ones like Gorny.