Dyagilevo (also given as Dyagilevo, Ryazan Dyagilevo) is a military air base in Ryazan Oblast, Russia, 3 km west of Ryazan. It serves as a training center for Russia's strategic bomber force.

Dyagilevo
Ryazan/Dyagilevo
авиабаза Дягилево
Ryazan, Ryazan Oblast in Russia
Satellite imagery of Dyagilevo air base
Aircraft at Dyagilevo air base
Dyagilevo is located in Ryazan Oblast
Dyagilevo
Dyagilevo
Shown within Ryazan Oblast
Dyagilevo is located in Russia
Dyagilevo
Dyagilevo
Dyagilevo (Russia)
Coordinates54°38′30″N 39°34′18″E / 54.64167°N 39.57167°E / 54.64167; 39.57167
TypeAir Base
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRussian Aerospace Forces
Controlled byLong-Range Aviation
Site history
In use- present
Airfield information
Elevation134 metres (440 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
06/24 3,000 metres (9,843 ft) Concrete

As of 2022, the base was home to the 203rd Guards Orlovsky Independent Aircraft-refuelling Aviation Regiment with the Ilyushin Il-78/78M and the 49th Instructor Red Banner Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment as part of the 43rd Guards Oryol Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Long-Range Aviation Flight Personnel.[1]

The Ryazan Museum of Long-Range Aviation is located on the base.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

History

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In 1955 it was one of only 6 Soviet bases capable of handling the Myasishchev M-4 bomber. In 1967 it had 7 Tupolev Tu-22s used for training.[11]

In 1973 it received 2 Tupolev Tu-22M (NATO: Backfire) aircraft.[11] It was also home to 43 TsBPiPLS (43rd Center for Combat Application and Training of Air Crew) which included the Tu-22M, Tupolev Tu-95MS (NATO: Bear), and Tupolev Tu-134UBL (NATO: Crusty) trainer.[12] In 1985 the 49 TBAP (49th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment) arrived at Dyagilevo, flying Tu-22M and Tu-95 aircraft and eventually converting into an ITBAP (training regiment). The 49th Regiment was part of the 43rd Centre, and eventually disbanded in 1997.[13]

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Russian Air Force took command of the base. By 1994 it received 24 Tu-95K (Bear-G) bombers for decommissioning under the START II treaty. A number of Tu-16, Tu-22, and M-4 aircraft are mothballed here.[citation needed]

As of 2009, the ww2.dk website reported that three units were active at the airbase.[14]

  • 1st Instructor Heavy Bomber Aviation Squadron (Tu-22M3 and Tu-134)
  • 2nd Instructor Heavy Bomber Aviation Squadron (Tu-95MS and An-26)
  • 43rd Guards Orlovskiy Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel
 
Ilyushin Il-78M at Dyagilevo

Air Power Review reported in 2004 that the 203rd Independent Orel Air Regiment of Guards (Air Tankers) operating Il-78 and Il-78M was stationed at the base. Formed 6 July 1941 at Monino near Moscow as the 412th Aviation Regiment, with TB-7 (Pe-8) heavy bombers. Renamed 432nd AP several weeks later. Renamed 25th AP DD of Guards 19 September 1943. 1230th AP (SZ) renamed 203rd OAP (SZ) 1 December 1994.[12]

On 5 December 2022, the base was attacked by Ukrainian drones which damaged a Tu-22M3 bomber and destroyed a fuel truck; three personnel were killed and five injured.[15] The Engels Air Force Base was also raided on the same night. On 14 December, a Shahed-136 drone that exploded in a Kyiv apartment building had “For Ryazan“ written on it in Russian.[16]

By December 2022, the 360 Aircraft Repair Factory [ru] (360 ARZ) located at the base was placed under sanctions of the European Union and USA due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[17][18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ryazan/Dyagilevo (UUBD)". Scramble.nl. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Attention!". www.avia-ryazan.ru. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Museum of Long-Range Aviation". English Russia: englishrussia.com. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Long-Range Aviation Museum". Russia Travel: eng.russia.travel. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Long Range Aviation Museum in Ryazan". Vitaly Kuzmin: www.vitalykuzmin.net. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  6. ^ "The Museum of Long-Range Aviation". Ryazan Region: en.ryazantourism.ru. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  7. ^ "В Рязани на аэродроме в Дягилево прошел "день открытых кабин"" [In Ryazan, at the airfield in Dyagilevo, a "day of open cabins"]. Аргументы и Факты: www.rzn.aif.ru (in Russian). 13 August 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  8. ^ БАРАНЦЕВ, Евгений (30 April 2015). "Рязанский музей Дальней авиации отметил свое 40-летие" [Ryazan Museum of Long-Range Aviation celebrated its 40th anniversary]. www.ryazan.kp.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Рязанский музей дальней авиации. Операция "Выйти из тени"" [Ryazan long-range aviation museum. Operation "Get out of the shadows"]. МЕДИАРЯЗАНЬ: mediaryazan.ru (in Russian). 12 December 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Музей дальней авиации на авиабазе в Дягилево: экспозиции, адрес, телефоны, время работы, сайт музея" [Museum of long-range aviation at Dyagilevo air base (Ryazan Region, Russia) — expositions, opening hours, address, telephones, official website]. Тонкости туризма: tonkosti.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  11. ^ a b Gordon, Yefim (1999). Tupelov Tu-22 'Blinder' Tu-22M 'Backfire'. Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-065-6.
  12. ^ a b Butowski, Pyotr (Summer 2004). International Air Power Review : Air Power Analysis: Russian Federation. AIRtime Publishing, Inc.
  13. ^ Michael Holm, 49th Instructor Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, accessed August 2012.
  14. ^ "43rd Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel DA". Ww2.dk. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  15. ^ Roth, Andrew; Sauer, Pjotr (2022-12-05). "Explosions rock two Russian airbases far from Ukraine frontline". The Guardian. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  16. ^ Tom Balmforth and Pavel Polityuk (2022-12-14). "Russia launches drone attack on Kyiv, Ukraine hails air defences". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  17. ^ Official Journal of the European Union (2022-12-16). "Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2478". European Union law. Archived from the original on 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  18. ^ "JSC "360 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT"". War and sanctions (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-20.