Step Air Base (Olovyannaya)

Step (also known as Olovyannaya) is an air base located in Chita, Russia, approximately 14 km northwest of Yasnogorsk. Constructed in 1948, the base has been in continuous use since then. It is owned by the Ministry of Defence and operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces, currently controlled by the 11th Air and Air Defence Forces Army. The air base features two revetment areas and numerous military fortifications. It is situated near a former SS-11 missile field, which was dismantled in the mid-1990s.

Historically, the 849th Assault Aviation Regiment was stationed at Step until 1956. In the late 1980s, the 6th Aviation Regiment of Fighter-Bombers, operating Sukhoi Su-17 aircraft under the 23rd Air Army, Transbaikal Military District, was based here. The 58th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment, flying Su-17M3 and L-29 aircraft and later receiving MiG-27s in the early 1990s, was also stationed at Step under the 23rd Air Army. The 266th Independent Shturmovik Aviation Regiment, flying Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft, was based at Step and disbanded around 2009. Following a boiler room fire in December 2009, the base appeared to be closed, but it was subsequently reopened. The 266th Independent Shturmovik Aviation Regiment was reformed with at least two squadrons of Sukhoi Su-25s in 2019 and was shifted into the Eastern Military District's 11th Air and Air Defence Forces Army.