Chepelevka (Uzin) Air Base

The primary reason for the closure was geopolitical and strategic, stemming from Ukraine's decision to become a non-nuclear state after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The base housed strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear cruise missiles. Under international agreements, including the Lisbon Protocol and the Budapest Memorandum, and with assistance from the US-funded Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program, Ukraine was obligated to eliminate its strategic nuclear delivery systems. This led to the transfer of some bombers to Russia and the scrapping of the remainder. The immense economic cost of maintaining such a sophisticated and aging long-range bomber force was also a significant contributing factor for the newly independent and financially strained Ukrainian state.

The Uzin Air Base is currently abandoned and in a state of severe decay. Satellite imagery and reports from the ground show that its massive runway (over 3,000 meters) and extensive network of taxiways and aircraft revetments, while still visible, are crumbling and overgrown. Many of the support buildings and hangars are derelict, have been dismantled for materials, or have collapsed. The site has been subject to scrapping and looting over the years. There have been reports of very limited, small-scale industrial or agricultural use in parts of the vast territory, but it does not function as an airfield in any capacity. It stands as a relic of the Cold War, a 'graveyard' of strategic aviation.

Uzin Air Base (historical ICAO: UKKH) was one of the most important strategic military airfields in the Soviet Union and later, independent Ukraine.

- **Soviet Era:** It was a key base for the Soviet Long-Range Aviation. It served as the headquarters for the 106th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division. The primary unit stationed at Uzin was the 409th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (409 TBAP), which operated the Tupolev Tu-95MS 'Bear-H' strategic bomber. These aircraft were a critical component of the Soviet nuclear triad, designed to carry and launch long-range, nuclear-armed cruise missiles (such as the Kh-55) against targets in North America and Western Europe. The base's location in the western USSR made it a frontline asset in any potential conflict with NATO.

- **Post-Soviet Era (Ukraine):** After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Ukraine inherited the 106th Division, including approximately 19 Tu-95MS bombers at Uzin. For a brief period, this made Ukraine the world's third-largest nuclear power. However, Ukraine committed to denuclearization. The base became a center for disarmament activities. In 1999-2000, Ukraine transferred 8 Tu-95MS bombers to Russia as payment for natural gas debts. The remaining bombers at Uzin were systematically dismantled, with the last Tu-95MS being publicly scrapped at the base in early 2001, marking the end of Ukraine's strategic bomber capability and the base's primary mission.

There are no current or viable prospects for reopening the airport. Over the years, particularly in the 2000s and early 2010s, there were multiple proposals and discussions about converting the former base into a major international cargo hub, capitalizing on its long runway and proximity to Kyiv. These plans, however, consistently failed to materialize due to a lack of significant investment, bureaucratic obstacles, and a clear business case. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has rendered any such civilian development plans completely unfeasible for the foreseeable future. The country's resources are focused on the war effort and maintaining active military and civilian infrastructure. Any future consideration for the site's revival would depend entirely on the post-war security environment and the priorities of national reconstruction.