Berdiansk Airport

The airport is a former Soviet airbase and was home to the:

• 292nd Independent Helicopter Squadron for Electronic Warfare between 1979 and 1981 with the Mil Mi-8{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/squadrons/ove/292overeb.htm|title=292nd independent Helicopter Squadron for Electronic Warfare|publisher=Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991|access-date=14 November 2023}}
• 336th Independent Helicopter Regiment in 1978-79 with the Mil Mi-8 before being moved to join the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany.{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/ovp/336ovp.htm|title=336th independent Helicopter Regiment|publisher=Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991|access-date=14 November 2023}}
• 29th Instructor Bomber Aviation Regiment (previously called the 29th Independent Training Aviation Regiment) between 1979 and 1992 with the Sukhoi Su-17, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 and Sukhoi Su-24{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/bap/29ibap.htm|title=29th Instructor Bomber Aviation Regiment|publisher=Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991|access-date=14 November 2023}}
• 163rd Training Aviation Regiment between 1971 and 1977 with the Beriev Be-12, part of the Voroshilovgrad Higher Military Aviation School of Navigators.{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/uap/163uap.htm|title=163rd Training Aviation Regiment|publisher=Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991|access-date=14 November 2023}}

As of 26 February 2022, the airport is under Russian occupation.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-26 |title=Колишній аеропорт "Бердянськ" захопили росіяни |trans-title=The former Berdiansk airport was seized by the Russians |url=https://ua.news/ua/byvshyj-aeroport-berdyansk-zahvatyly-rossyyane/ |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=UA.NEWS |language=uk}} The airport has been used by the Russian Armed Forces ever since being taken.{{cite web|url=https://benjaminpittet.substack.com/p/chaplynka-20|title=Chaplynka 2.0|date=10 January 2023 |publisher=OSINT - Benjamin Pittet|access-date=11 January 2023}}

On October 17, 2023, as part of Operation Dragonfly, the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck logistical points that the Russian military used. It mainly targeted the Luhansk International Airport in the east and Berdiansk Airport in the south.{{Cite web |title=Operation "Dragonfly". Successful operation of the Ukrainian SOF to attack Berdyansk and Luhansk Airfields. |url=https://twitter.com/defenceu/status/1714247717327667363 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017202418/https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1714247717327667363 |archive-date=2023-10-17 |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=}} During the operation, the Ukrainians used U.S.-supplied MGM-140 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles, which led to the heavy losses of helicopters of the Russian Air Force.{{Cite web|last=Oryx|title=Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine|url=https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-equipment.html|access-date=2023-10-22|website=Oryx}} The Ukrainians also succeeded in destroying the airport runways, numerous supply depots, and even some air defense systems.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-17 |title=Операція Dragonfly. ЗСУ знищили ворожі гелікоптери, ППО та спецтехніку під час атаки аеродромів у Бердянську та Луганську — Forbes.ua |url=https://forbes.ua/news/operatsiya-dragonfly-zsu-znishchili-vorozhi-gelikopteri-ppo-ta-spetstekhniku-pid-chas-ataki-aerodromiv-v-berdyansku-ta-lugansku-17102023-16722 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017154505/https://forbes.ua/news/operatsiya-dragonfly-zsu-znishchili-vorozhi-gelikopteri-ppo-ta-spetstekhniku-pid-chas-ataki-aerodromiv-v-berdyansku-ta-lugansku-17102023-16722 |archive-date=2023-10-17 |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=forbes.ua |language=uk}} The Ukrainians also claimed to have caused manpower losses, but it cannot be confirmed.{{Cite news |author=Robert Greenall |date=17 October 2023 |title=Ukraine 'destroys Russian helicopters in Berdyansk and Luhansk' |work=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67135163 |accessdate=2023-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020102333/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67135163 |archive-date=2023-10-20}}

Reportedly the attack destroyed nine Russian helicopters, an antiaircraft missile launcher, an ammunition warehouse and various special equipment.{{Cite news |title=Ukraine uses US-supplied ATACMS for the first time, says Zelensky |work=BBC News |date=17 October 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67135163 |first=Robert |last=Greenall |first2=Chris |last2=Partridge }}{{Cite news |title=Ukraine fires long-range ATACMS to strike Russian depot and aircraft |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/17/atacms-missile-ukraine-russia-war/ |date=17 October 2023 |access-date=18 October 2023 |first=Isabelle |last=Khurshudyan |first2=Siobhán |last2=O'Grady |first3=Dan |last3=Lamothe |newspaper=Washington Post}}

{{Asof|2024}} Google Maps satellite imagery indicates that runway 09/27 is unusable and that no aircraft is present.

• On 19 June 1987, Aeroflot Flight 528, a Yakovlev Yak-40 (CCCP-87826) approached the airport with a tailwind in a heavy rain shower and touched down at high speed. A go-around was initiated, then aborted. The aircraft overran the runway, struck obstacles and caught fire, killing eight aboard. The aircraft was written off.{{cite web |website=aviation-safety.net |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19870619-1 |title=Yak-40 Incident |access-date=18 October 2023 }}
• On 24 March 2022, Ukrainian forces struck the occupied airfield using OTR-21 Tochka ballistic missiles, which allegedly destroyed four Russian military aircraft (Two Su-30SM fighter jets, One Su-25 attack jet, One Il-76 transport aircraft){{Cite news |title=The War in Ukraine: One Day at a Time |work=The New York Times |date=March 25, 2022 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/24/podcasts/the-daily/ukraine-russia-war-anniversary.html |first=Christopher |last=Miller}}
• On 17 October 2023, the Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted a special operation and targeted the airport with a salvo of MGM-140 ATACMS rockets, which left multiple Russian helicopters and a nearby ammunition warehouse destroyed.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-17 |title=Операція Dragonfly. ЗСУ знищили ворожі гелікоптери, ППО та спецтехніку під час атаки аеродромів у Бердянську та Луганську — Forbes.ua |url=https://forbes.ua/news/operatsiya-dragonfly-zsu-znishchili-vorozhi-gelikopteri-ppo-ta-spetstekhniku-pid-chas-ataki-aerodromiv-v-berdyansku-ta-lugansku-17102023-16722 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017154505/https://forbes.ua/news/operatsiya-dragonfly-zsu-znishchili-vorozhi-gelikopteri-ppo-ta-spetstekhniku-pid-chas-ataki-aerodromiv-v-berdyansku-ta-lugansku-17102023-16722 |archive-date=2023-10-17 |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=forbes.ua |language=uk}}

{{reflist}}

{{Airports in Ukraine}}

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Category:Airports in Ukraine

Category:Airports established in 1975

Category:Military installations of Russia in other countries

Category:Berdiansk

{{Ukraine-airport-stub}}