Kazlu Ruda

54°48'03"N 023°31'09"E

runway: 12/30 - 2225x30meters/7300x98feet - Concrete

Air field Kazlų Rūda (Lithuanian: Kazlų Rūdos aerodromas, Russian: Казлу Руда, ICAO: EYKR) was an airfield 115 kilometers west of Vilnius in Lithuania.
The airfield was built for the Soviet Air Force starting in 1975 and officially opened in 1977.
Ultimately it was the second largest Soviet Air Base in Lithuania.
It was intended for use by Soviet paratroopers stationed next to the airfield.
When the Soviets left it was discovered that it also had a large underground facility.
Judging from available imagery on the internet the airfield was a relatively modern air base, especially by Soviet standards.


No photos of the airfield while in use have been located

Although the airfield has an ICAO code assigned it is an abandoned and decaying airfield.
Imagery on Google Earth and videos on Youtube show the tracks are used for car racing.
A lot of photos taken at the former air base van be viewed here.
Although largely still intact, it is unlikely the airbase will be restored to flight use in the foreseeable future.


This photo, shot in August 2007, shows a fairly modern, but abandoned control tower at the airfield.


Kazlų Rūda AB in 2009 (Google Earth)