Volodimirivka Airstrip

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons. The airstrip was built for and operated by the Vostochny Mining and Processing Plant (VostGOK / SkhidGZK), a massive state-owned enterprise for uranium mining and processing. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent economic turmoil in Ukraine, the state-owned enterprise could no longer afford the significant costs of maintaining and operating its own dedicated airfield. The loss of centralized state funding and the decline in its specific operational needs made the airstrip economically unviable.

The site is abandoned and in a state of disrepair. Satellite imagery and local reports confirm that the main runway and taxiways, while still clearly visible, are cracked, weathered, and overgrown with vegetation in many places. The airport buildings, including the small terminal and hangars, are derelict and have been stripped of valuable materials over the years. The runway is now unofficially and sporadically used by locals for activities such as driver training, drag racing, and general vehicle testing. It is completely non-operational for any aviation purposes.

Volodimirivka Airstrip was of significant strategic, not public, importance. Its entire existence was tied to the Soviet nuclear program. Zhovti Vody was a 'closed city' and a primary center for uranium ore mining and enrichment. The airstrip served several key functions:

1. **Personnel Transport:** It facilitated the rapid transport of high-level engineers, scientists, military officials, and government dignitaries to and from the sensitive industrial complex, bypassing regular public transport.
2. **Urgent Cargo:** It was used to fly in urgent, high-priority equipment, spare parts, and sensitive materials required for the mining and processing plant.
3. **Medical Evacuation:** It likely served as a point for emergency medical evacuations.

Operations primarily involved Soviet-era short-to-medium range transport aircraft, such as the Antonov An-2, Antonov An-24, and possibly the Yakovlev Yak-40. It was never a public passenger airport.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening the airstrip. The reasons for this are numerous:

- **Lack of Economic Need:** The original purpose of serving a single, state-funded enterprise no longer exists in the same capacity. There is insufficient passenger or cargo demand in the region to justify the massive investment required for renovation.
- **Proximity to Other Airports:** The region is adequately served by larger airports like Dnipro (DNK) and Kryvyi Rih (KWG) for any significant air travel needs.
- **High Renovation Costs:** The runway, taxiways, and all supporting infrastructure would require a complete reconstruction to meet modern aviation standards, a prohibitively expensive undertaking.
- **Current Geopolitical Situation:** The ongoing war in Ukraine makes any non-essential, large-scale civil infrastructure projects highly improbable, especially for a defunct, specialized airfield.