Leonidovo was a

Soviet Naval Aviation Soviet Naval Aviation (AV-MF, ) was the naval aviation arm of the Soviet Navy. Origins The first naval aviation units in Russia were formed in 1912–1914 as a part of the Baltic Fleet and the Black Sea Fleet. During World War I, the hydro ...

reserve airfield in the remote central area of

Sakhalin Sakhalin ( rus, Сахали́н, p=səxɐˈlʲin) is an island in Northeast Asia. Its north coast lies off the southeastern coast of Khabarovsk Krai in Russia, while its southern tip lies north of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. An islan ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

located east of Leonidovo. Declassified KH-7 imagery obtained from the

U.S. Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on March ...

shows that it existed in June 1966 without much difference compared to today. In recent times (probably 1990s) it was shortened to 2000 m. High-resolution

Google Earth Google Earth is a web mapping, web and computer program created by Google that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satelli ...

imagery shows that the airfield has been decommissioned, with the runway being used as a storage pad for

petroleum industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry, includes the global processes of hydrocarbon exploration, exploration, extraction of petroleum, extraction, oil refinery, refining, Petroleum transport, transportation (often by oil tankers ...

supplies. Satellite observation of Leonidovo in October 1964 indicated construction at the north and south ends of the runway. In 1967 there was an "unusual deployment" of 37 medium-range

Tupolev Tu-16 The Tupolev Tu-16 (USAF/DOD reporting name Type 39; NATO reporting name: Badger) is a twin-engined jet strategic heavy bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has been flown for almost 70 years. While many aircraft in Soviet service were retired af ...

Badgers at the airfield.196710_CABLE TO DIRNSA FROM NPIC, 25 October 1967, CREST: CIA-RDP78B03817A000900020029-3, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC.

References

External links

RussianAirFields.com
Soviet Naval Aviation bases {{Russia-mil-stub

See also

References

External links