Oleksandrivka Airfield

Primarily economic reasons. The airfield was part of a vast network of local airfields supporting the Soviet agricultural system. Its main function was agricultural aviation (АХР - авіаційно-хімічні роботи, or aviation-chemical work) for collective farms (kolkhozes). With the collapse of the USSR, the centralized funding for these operations ceased, and the collective farm system was dismantled, rendering the airfield economically unviable. It fell into disuse along with hundreds of similar small airfields across the former Soviet Union.

The airfield has been derelict and abandoned for decades. Satellite imagery from before 2022 showed a decaying, cracked runway overgrown with vegetation and dilapidated support buildings. Critically, the village of Oleksandrivka and the surrounding area, including the airfield, were on the front line of intense combat during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kherson. The site is presumed to be heavily damaged or destroyed and is located in a region potentially contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO). It is completely non-functional and unsafe.

Oleksandrivka Airfield was a typical local airfield of the Soviet era with no major strategic importance. Its primary historical significance was its role in the regional agricultural economy. It primarily handled operations for agricultural aircraft, most notably the Antonov An-2 biplane, used for crop dusting and aerial application of fertilizers over the vast farmlands of the Kherson Oblast. It may have also been used for limited local passenger/cargo flights connecting rural areas and potentially by the local DOSAAF (Voluntary Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Fleet) for sport aviation, such as glider towing or parachute training.

Zero. There were no known plans to reopen the airfield prior to the 2022 invasion due to its dilapidated state and the lack of economic need. Given the catastrophic damage the region has sustained due to the war, any future development will be focused on demining, humanitarian aid, and rebuilding essential civilian infrastructure like housing, schools, and utilities. The reconstruction of a small, long-defunct airfield is not a priority and is not considered a viable prospect in the foreseeable future.