Krichev (air base)
{{Infobox military installation
| name = Krichev
Krychaw
| ensign =
| ensign_size = 90px
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| location = Krychaw, Klimavichy District, Mogilev Region
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| country = Belarus
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| type = Air Base
| coordinates = {{Coord|53|44|05|N|031|55|02|E|region:RU_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Belarus
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Belarus
| pushpin_label = Krichev
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| ownership = Armed Forces of Belarus
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| built = {{Start date|1949}}
| used = 1949–{{End date|1993}}
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| ICAO = ZF19
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| elevation = {{Convert|174|m|0}}
| r1-number = 04/22
| r1-length = {{Convert|2500|m|0}}
| r1-surface = Concrete
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Krichev is a military air base in the Mogilev Region, Belarus. It is located in Klimavichy District, {{convert|13|km|mi}} east of the city of Krychaw. The base served the interceptor air defense role for the Soviet Air Defence Force, hosted by the 28th Fighter Aviation Regiment, 2nd Air Defence Corps, Moscow Air Defence District.{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/28iap.htm |title=28th Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO |publisher=Ww2.dk |date= |accessdate=2022-09-18}}
History
Krichev had been observed by 1957 by Western Lockheed U-2 overflights.NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 26; SOVIET UNION; TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS, May 1957, CREST: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090035-8, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC. The 28th IAP operated the Sukhoi Su-9 (NATO: Fishpot) regiment in the 1960s and 1970s.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170123204647/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/document/cia-rdp81t00380r000100980001-5 PHASEOUT OF FISHPOT IN APVO STRANYY AIRFIELDS USSR], February 1, 1981, CREST: CIA-RDP81T00380R000100980001-5, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC. By 1981, the regiment was one of four in the USSR still operating the Su-9 but its facilities were being upgraded, and it received the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (NATO: Foxbat) in the mid-1980s.
The base was closed in 1993, after the Cold War, and the aviation regiment was disbanded.[https://www.sb.by/articles/vzletnye-polosy-zhdut-svoego-chasa.html Взлетные полосы ждут своего часа]. {{in lang|ru}}. www.sb.by. Jul 25, 2013. All the buildings were razed to the ground; little remains except for the overgrown runway.{{cite web|title=Взлетные полосы ждут своего часа|url=https://www.sb.by/articles/vzletnye-polosy-zhdut-svoego-chasa.html|website=Беларусь сегодня|publisher=Издательский дом "Беларусь сегодня"|date=2013-07-25|accessdate=2019-01-19|language=ru|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20190119073742/https://www.sb.by/articles/vzletnye-polosy-zhdut-svoego-chasa.html|archivedate=2019-01-19|url-status=live}}