Liubsha Air Base

The closure was a direct result of the post-Soviet military downsizing and the strategic realignment of the Ukrainian Air Force. Specifically, it was driven by the disbandment of the 260th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment stationed there and Ukraine's commitment to nuclear disarmament under international agreements (such as the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program), which led to the scrapping of the Tu-22M bomber fleet that operated from the base.

The air base is abandoned and in a state of severe disrepair. The concrete runway, taxiways, and aircraft revetments remain visible on satellite imagery but are cracked, overgrown, and unusable for aviation. Many of the support buildings and hangars have been dismantled for materials or have fallen into ruin. A significant portion of the airfield's former operational area, including taxiways and aprons, has been repurposed and is now occupied by a large-scale solar power plant.

Stryi Air Base was a major strategic military installation for both the Soviet Air Forces and, briefly, the Ukrainian Air Force. During the Cold War, it was a key base for Soviet Long Range Aviation. Its most notable role was hosting the 260th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, which operated nuclear-capable strategic bombers. Initially, this included the Tupolev Tu-16 'Badger' and was later upgraded to the supersonic Tupolev Tu-22M2 and Tu-22M3 'Backfire' bombers. The presence of these aircraft made the base a high-value strategic target and a critical component of the Soviet Union's nuclear deterrent.

There are no official or credible plans for reopening the air base. While its revival has been a topic of occasional discussion by regional authorities over the past decade—often citing its potential as a cargo hub or a base for low-cost airlines due to its long runway and proximity to the European Union border—the prospects are extremely low. The prohibitive cost of restoring the derelict infrastructure, combined with the partial occupation of the site by the solar farm, presents major financial and logistical barriers. The ongoing war in Ukraine further makes any non-military redevelopment projects of this scale unfeasible for the foreseeable future.