Ulyanovsk-Vostochny (airport)

The airfield was built in 1983 as an experimental airfield - a test base for the Ulyanovsk Aviation Plant . The runway (runway) of the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny aerodrome is one of the longest in the world, its length is 5000 meters (with a width of 105 meters).

The airport is also connected with the aircraft factory by the road, which is actually the longest taxiway in the world.

In 1991, permission was obtained for the right to perform international flights of domestic and foreign aircraft through the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airfield complex.

Since January 1992, the formation of state control services has begun with the goal of organizing international flights.

Since 1994, the aerodrome has been assigned to the list of joint-based aerodromes (a separate air squadron based on An-2 aircraft of the Armed Forces is based), it is registered in the registry of Russian civil aviation aerodromes and is open for flights of all types of domestic aircraft , as well as all foreign types, with the exception of Airbus A380 . Runway classification number ( PCN ) 63 / R / A / W / T.

In 1999, Ulyanovsk-Vostochny Airport was certified as international.

On May 8, 2001, by order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 79, the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny Airport was opened for international flights of cargo and passenger aircraft with a capacity of up to 100 passengers per hour with a round-the-clock operation ^[2] .

In accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated December 30, 2009 No. 1163 “On the Creation of a Port Special Economic Zone in the Ulyanovsk Region” in the territory adjacent to the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny Airport, a port special economic zone (PSEZ) was established in which the free customs zone and tax benefits are applied for the development of airport and transport and logistics services. Ulyanovsk POEZ is intended for maintenance, repair and modernization of aircraft and aircraft (including aircraft engines), as well as for the production of aircraft and aircraft components ^[3] .

On December 1, 2017, a new 235th military transport aviation regiment, which became part of the 18th military transport aviation division, was deployed at the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airport site. Its formation was made on the basis of funds of the military unit 45097-2 "An-2". In a short time, a large amount of work was completed, the headquarters building and special sites were rebuilt. The air regiment is equipped with An-2 and Il-76 aircraft, including a new modification of the Il-76MD-90A. In the future, VTAP can get both An-124 Ruslan aircraft and Il-276 medium-sized military transport aircraft. ^[four]

A spokesman for the governor of the Ulyanovsk Region on March 12, 2012 said that the region’s authorities had negotiations with NATO representatives on the creation of a commercial transit center for the North Atlantic Alliance in Ulyanovsk. The head of the Ulyanovsk Customs, V. Gerasev, said that it would be beneficial for Ulyanovsk to become a transit point for NATO, since this is “traffic loading and taxes.” Governor of the region S. Morozov said: “We have been engaged in this project for a long time. We believe that this is a profitable project if NATO and the United States agree to create such a point on the basis of Ulyanovsk-Vostochny Airport. We believe that this will give us several thousand new jobs ” ^[8] .

On March 21, 2012, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin stated that the center will be used for air transportation of certain cargoes (tents, food, medicine) by Iraqi aircraft to Iraq and Afghanistan , while weapons and ammunition will not be transported through Ulyanovsk ^{[9] [ 10]} .

On April 5, 2012, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the presence of NATO personnel (military or civilian) in Ulyanovsk was excluded. All cargo will be checked by Russian customs, and operations will be carried out by Russian companies ^[11] His deputy, Alexander Grushko, explained that non-military cargo will pass through the Ulyanovsk point, ^[12] and that it is possible to create temporary warehouses for NATO cargo ^[13] . In the spring and summer of 2012, a series of protests against the creation of a transit center took place in Ulyanovsk ^{[14] [15]} .

On April 17, 2012, Robert Pschel, head of the NATO information bureau in Moscow, also confirmed that it was not “about any NATO base, nor about soldiers, tanks, or other weapons” ^{[10] [13]} .

According to and. about. Russian Permanent Representative to NATO Nikolai Korchunov dated July 9, 2012 transit should begin on August 1, 2012 ^{[16] [17]} . It is regulated by the Government Decree of March 28, 2008 N 219 “On the procedure for ground and combined (rail, road and air transport) transit through the territory of the Russian Federation of armaments, military equipment and military property following the address of the International Security Assistance Force in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and in the opposite direction ”(with amendments and additions). ^[18] . This document states that the transit of certain weapons of ISAF does not apply the “Regulation on the Transit of Arms, Military Equipment and Military Equipment through the Territory of the Russian Federation” ^[19] , thereby simplifying their transit, and they do not require special permission from the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the annex to the decision contains a list of goods for which the simplified procedure does not apply ^[20] .

Difficulties in the interpretation of these documents caused an extensive reaction among bloggers ^[21] , individual representatives of several political parties. In Ulyanovsk, rallies were held against the NATO Base ^[22] .

In December 2012, one ISO-container went in test mode along the combined transit route through Ulyanovsk for NATO forces in Afghanistan ^[23] . He remained the only cargo passing along the route. ^{[24] [22]} Air transportation was carried out by Volga-Dnepr company; the container was sent to Riga by rail. ^{[23] [25]} The NATO-Volga-Dnepr Regular Transport Agreement was not signed as of March 2013. ^[25] . According to Alexander Vershbow (NATO Deputy Secretary General), the route through Ulyanovsk is more expensive than other transit routes, for example, through Pakistan. ^{[26] [27]}

On May 15, 2015, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed Decree No. 468 ^[28] , which revokes the permission for the transit of NATO arms and other military cargo to Afghanistan through Russian territory. Thus, the transit center, which previously existed only in the project, will not be implemented ^[22] .

The weakness of the airport, unlike the Ulyanovsk-Tsentralny airport (Barataevka), is the availability of public transport. Currently, it can only be reached by taxi. Previously, there was a 330 bus.

• Official site of the international airport Ulyanovsk-Vostochny
• Ulyanovsk-Vostochny Airport in the Aviapages.ru directory