Luzhani Airfield

The closure was a direct result of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the subsequent large-scale downsizing of the Ukrainian military. After inheriting a vast number of Soviet military bases, the newly independent Ukraine lacked the financial resources and strategic need to maintain all of them. The 48th Guards Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment, the main unit at Luzhani, was disbanded, and the airfield was deemed redundant. The closure was driven by economic reasons and a strategic realignment of the Ukrainian Air Force.

The airfield is currently abandoned and in a state of severe decay. Satellite imagery and local reports confirm that the runway, taxiways, and concrete aprons are heavily cracked, overgrown with vegetation, and have been partially dismantled by locals for building materials. Most of the hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) and support buildings are either in ruins, have been stripped of valuable materials, or have been completely demolished. The site is a brownfield and is occasionally used for unauthorized local activities such as car races (drag racing) and small festivals. It holds no official function.

Luzhani Airfield was a significant Cold War-era military airbase of the Soviet Air Force, specifically serving the 14th Air Army of the Carpathian Military District. Its primary historical importance comes from hosting the 48th Guards Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (48th Gv ORAP). This elite unit was tasked with tactical and operational reconnaissance along the crucial southwestern strategic direction, facing NATO forces in Central Europe. Throughout its active years, the regiment operated a succession of advanced reconnaissance aircraft, including the Ilyushin Il-28R, Yakovlev Yak-28R, and later, the high-speed Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RB/RBS and the versatile Sukhoi Su-17M4R. In its final years, it began receiving the Sukhoi Su-24MR, one of the most capable tactical reconnaissance aircraft of its time. The base was a key intelligence-gathering hub for the Soviet military in the region.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening Luzhani Airfield. The extensive degradation of its critical infrastructure, including the runway and support facilities, would require an exceptionally large investment to restore it to operational standards. Furthermore, its proximity to the functioning Chernivtsi International Airport (UKLN/CWC) makes a civilian reopening economically unviable. From a military perspective, the Ukrainian Air Force has focused its limited resources on maintaining and upgrading its existing operational bases, making the costly reconstruction of a derelict Cold War-era airfield a very low priority.