Yeysk Air Base

Yeysk air base, also known as Yeysk Airport, is a military air base and civilian airport located near the city of Yeysk, Russia. It is owned by the Ministry of Defence (Russia) and operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces. The base is currently home to the 859th Centre for Combat Application and Crew Training for Naval Aviation of Russian Naval Aviation and the 190th Mixed Aviation Regiment. The main runway, 08/26, has been extended to 3.50 km.

Historically, Yeysk was a mixed military/civilian airfield. During the Cold War, it hosted the Yeysk Higher Military Order of Lenin Aviation School. In the 1990s, the 10th Mixed Aviation Division (part of the 4th Air Army) was based there. Following the disbandment of the 10th Mixed Aviation Division, the headquarters of the 1st Guards Stalingrad, Svirsky Composite Air Division arrived. The aviation group of the Yeysk Higher Military Institute, equipped with L-39 aircraft, was also based at the airport. The 959th Bomber Air Regiment, previously the 959th Training Aviation Regiment and part of the 1st Guards Composite Air Division, was stationed here. In September 2009, the 959th regiment was disbanded due to the airfield's transfer from the Air Force to the Navy, with its Su-24 aircraft relocating to Morozovsk airfield. On February 1, 2010, the 859th Naval Aviation Training Center was opened at the airfield.

Adjacent to the air base is the 726th Army Air Defense Training Center, which received its first Tor-M2DT surface-to-air missile systems by December 2018. Satellite imagery from June 2023 showed decoy fighter jets painted on the hardstand, a tactic observed at other air bases. The air base has been targeted by Ukrainian drones multiple times in 2024. Attacks on April 4-5, 2024, reportedly destroyed two Su-25s and killed four base personnel, though Russia denied these claims. On June 21, 2024, Ukrainian drones attacked the 726th Army Air Defense Training Center, causing a fire and reportedly destroying facilities and personnel used for Shahed drone launches. Further drone strikes occurred on September 29, 2024, resulting in fires and explosions.