Donuzlav Air Base

The base was closed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Its primary unit, the 318th Independent Anti-Submarine Aviation Regiment, was disbanded as part of the post-Soviet military drawdown and the division of the Black Sea Fleet between Russia and Ukraine. The newly independent Ukraine lacked the financial resources and strategic need to maintain a large, specialized amphibious aircraft base.

The airfield is largely derelict but has been under Russian military control since the 2014 annexation of Crimea. While the main runways and aprons remain, much of the infrastructure is in decay. The Russian military has repurposed parts of the site, reportedly establishing a helicopter base (sometimes referred to as Donuzlav-Heliport) and deploying air defense systems (such as the S-400) in the vicinity. It is not operating as a fully active fixed-wing air base but serves as a forward operating location and support site for Russian forces in western Crimea.

Donuzlav was a key Soviet Naval Aviation hydro-aerodrome and a major component of the Black Sea Fleet's infrastructure. Its primary mission was anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol. The base was home to the 318th Independent Anti-Submarine Aviation Regiment, which operated a large fleet of Beriev Be-12 'Chaika' (NATO: Mail) amphibious aircraft. These aircraft patrolled the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, tracking NATO naval forces, particularly submarines and aircraft carriers, during the Cold War. The nearby town of Myrnyi was constructed specifically to house the base's personnel and their families.

There are no prospects for reopening the airport for civilian aviation. From a military perspective, while a full-scale reactivation as a primary fixed-wing air base has not been prioritized by Russia (which has focused on modernizing other Crimean airfields like Belbek and Gvardeyskoye), its strategic importance remains. The site's future is entirely tied to Russian military planning and the evolving dynamics of the Russo-Ukrainian War. It will likely continue to be used as a support base for helicopters, drones, and air defense units.