Pervomaysk Heliport

Military Decommissioning. The heliport was the aviation support base for the Soviet 46th Rocket Division, a major Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) force. It was closed as a direct result of Ukraine's nuclear disarmament following the collapse of the USSR and agreements like the Lisbon Protocol and Budapest Memorandum. The missile base it served was dismantled, rendering the heliport's function obsolete.

The site is abandoned and in a state of decay. Recent satellite imagery shows the main concrete apron and several marked helipads are still intact but are weathered, cracked, and show signs of vegetation overgrowth. The associated hangars and support buildings appear derelict. The site is not used for any aviation purposes. While a nearby part of the former missile base has been successfully converted into the renowned Museum of Strategic Rocket Forces, the heliport itself is not part of the public museum complex and remains an unused, fenced-off former military area.

The heliport was a critical military installation during the Cold War, serving as the primary airbase for the 46th Nizhnedneprovskaya Order of the October Revolution Red Banner Rocket Division of the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces. Its main function was to provide rapid helicopter transport (primarily using Mi-8 helicopters) for personnel, security teams, technical specialists, and high-ranking officials between the division headquarters in Pervomaysk and the numerous, widely dispersed ICBM launch silos in the region. These silos housed some of the most powerful nuclear missiles in the Soviet arsenal, including the RT-23 Molodets (SS-24 'Scalpel'). The heliport was therefore an essential component for the command, control, and security of a key part of the Soviet Union's nuclear deterrent.

There are no known public plans or prospects for reopening the heliport for civilian or commercial use. The infrastructure is over 30 years old and would require massive investment to meet modern aviation standards, and there is no significant economic demand for a regional airport in the area. As a former military airfield, its potential reactivation by the Ukrainian Armed Forces for strategic purposes is theoretically possible, especially given the ongoing conflict, but there is no public information to confirm any such plans.