Dmitrovka Airfield

Economic reasons and military restructuring. Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the newly independent Ukrainian Air Force inherited a vast network of Soviet military bases. Due to severe economic constraints and a strategic shift, Ukraine significantly downsized its military, leading to the closure and decommissioning of numerous airfields, including Dmitrovka, which were deemed redundant or too costly to maintain.

The airfield is completely abandoned and in a state of extreme disrepair. Satellite imagery shows the concrete runway is heavily cracked, broken, and overgrown with vegetation. The taxiways, aircraft hardstands, and support buildings are derelict, with many structures in ruins. The site has been scavenged for building materials, such as concrete slabs, over the years. As of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, the airfield is located within a temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. Unlike the nearby functional Berdiansk Airport (UKDB) which has been used by occupying forces, the Dmitrovka site remains derelict and shows no signs of military reactivation.

Dmitrovka Airfield was a significant Soviet Air Force base during the Cold War. It was primarily a military reconnaissance airfield, home to the 93rd Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (93-й ОРАП). This regiment operated advanced reconnaissance aircraft, including the Sukhoi Su-17M4R 'Fitter-K' and later the Sukhoi Su-24MR 'Fencer-E'. These aircraft were tasked with tactical and operational reconnaissance missions. After the Soviet Union's collapse, the base and its assets were transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force, which operated it for a few years before it was ultimately abandoned.

There are zero known plans or prospects for reopening the airfield. Even before the 2022 invasion, its advanced state of decay and the high cost of reconstruction made any revival economically and logistically unfeasible, especially given the proximity of the other airport in Berdiansk. The current military conflict and occupation of the region make any future civilian or military development of the site highly improbable. It is expected to remain abandoned.