Once Siversky airfield was considered elite, and absolutely deserved. In the 40s, fierce battles with Hitler troops were waged in its vicinity. Siversky airfield was the place of service of the famous cosmonaut German Titov. And in the spring of 1981, an incident occurred here that forever glorified Major Nesterov. It was he who, at the cost of his life, led away the aircraft after its ignition.
Today, only the pedestal of an airplane rushing into the sky and a monument to the eminent cosmonaut German Titov are reminiscent of the elite of the flying part, once based in the village of Siversky (Gatchinsky district, Leningrad region).
Unfortunately, at present, the airfield is empty, and the residents of the neighboring houses are forced to endure inconvenience, since their apartments are terribly cold in winter and there is no hot water at all.
Historical excursion
Siversky airfield was built in the second half of the 30s of the last century for military purposes. Initially, the project did not provide for an asphalt pavement; the runway was unpaved. But this fact did not interfere with the work of the I-16 and I-153 fighters.
In the fall of 1941, the Siversky airfield was captured by the Germans. Three years later, when Hitler’s army was retreating, the airfield was mined, but after a while our troops were able to restore the runway. In the period from 1950 to 1960, its territory increased significantly. The legendary SU-7 fighter was based here. In the late 60s, the Siversky military airfield became the main concentration center for fighter-bombers. Soon, arched shelters for aircraft were constructed at the airport, and in 1977 another runway with an artificial canvas appeared.
In the early 90s, navigators of the Siversky airfield began to retrain flying on the SU-24 M. After some time, the pilots learned how to refuel with fuel in the sky. In 2006, the aircraft of the Siversky airdrome ensured the security of the G8 summit, which was held in the city on the Neva. The pilots participated in the joint exercises of the CIS air defense forces. Some may ask a reasonable question: “Whose airfield is Siversky?” Until 2009, it belonged to the 6th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense, and then it was disbanded.
Magnitude of the problem
As in many Russian regions, the current state of the Siversky airport is nothing but deplorable. Many military camps are no longer on the balance sheet of the Ministry of Defense, and local authorities often do not care about their fate. Naturally, there is no money for the improvement of military towns in the municipal treasury.
The depressing picture is immediately visible: a garbage can, stone curbstones with unpretentious metalwork, performing the function of a gate, a rickety observation tower behind a fence. There have been no aircraft in hangars for a long time. One aircraft garage has no gates at all. The only object that is guarded at the airport is a fleet of backup vehicles, and even that is not immune to rain and wind.
Locals claim that cars have not been in use for many years. In the ownerless hangars, the wind walks. In some garages, the doors are ajar, and inside you can see mountains of trash and garbage. In one hangar, there was still one “military” attribute, which symbolizes the state of affairs in towns like Siversky - this is a metal case. The wires on the electrical panels are damaged.
"Non-flying" strip
The life of local residents leaves much to be desired. There is no heating in the apartments. There is no hot water, cold pours a thin stream, and its smell simply averts. Often cut off and electricity. Officials get off unsubscribing to numerous appeals of citizens who do not want to pay for the disastrously expensive housing and communal services, as a result they are threatened with eviction. But they have no other housing. And the number of Siversky is 4, 000 people. Moreover, residents are well aware of how officials report at the top about the socio-economic development of their community. They complain that not only the Siversky airfield, whose photos are terrifying and depressing, but also the military town are de facto ownerless.
Nobody cares…
Engineering communications, boiler houses and houses are legally located in the territory belonging to the military department.
At the same time, when electricity outages and lack of heating make themselves felt, a heated debate erupts between residents regarding who is to blame and what to do. Naturally, disputes are going on in parallel about who will repair and repair. Appeals to organs supervising the housing sector have no effect. Even the history of the name of the street where the houses are built is amazing for residents. She was named in honor of the pilot Kupriyanov, and in honor of the German city of Brandenburg. And then it was renamed into the street of the Military town, which turned out to be a complete surprise to the residents. One of them doomedly said: “All our life without electricity and“ for later ”. The dilapidated, low-rise building, formerly occupied by the laundry, also thickens the picture. But today no one erases here.
Local residents say that several years ago business representatives wanted to acquire the training ground, and it was even planned to establish flights of small aircraft and air links with the northern capital. Residents perked up and already mentally began to prepare for a better life. But after a while this information was not confirmed, and things in the town became even worse than before.
Authorities reaction
Numerous complaints by residents of the military town about the monstrous living conditions did not correct the situation. Moreover, appeals were sent to representatives of various levels of government, who ultimately "closed" the problem with unsubscribes.
Military camps are going through terrible times. At first, the government’s decision to transfer settlements to the balance of municipalities is implemented with great delays. Then, if this still happens, local officials say that it is almost impossible to solve the accumulated problems. In the military department, they “deny” people, since military towns belong to regional authorities, they say, ask them.
Contents of official disclaimers
Problems with heat supply, according to people, occurred due to the fact that the boiler room No. 5 was connected. Such a measure was taken because houses and schools were removed from boiler room No. 3.
And here is how the representative of the municipality explains the situation: “In 2003, repair work was carried out on the heating system in the school gym, after which the temperature regime significantly decreased in several classes. To solve this problem, a circulation pump was mounted in the school’s heating unit, but this only aggravated the situation. ” Why it was aggravated is not clear to residents. Moreover, the authorities say that in order for heat to appear in the house and hot water to pour out of the tap, it is necessary to repair the heating system and modernize the heat supply source.
And officials recommend turning to the investment program of Public Utilities of the Gatchinsky District for the Reconstruction of the Heat Supply System of the Gatchinsky Municipal District, which provides for the creation of a new boiler block.
Does the runway have a future?
And, of course, until recently it was not clear what the future of Siversky airdrome awaited. Will they restore him?
At the moment, it is already known that officials from the military department are not yet ready to provide an unused runway for the needs of civil aviation. The authorities still hope that in the near future the airport will be a place for the provision of passenger transportation services. For this, a whole batch of low-cost airlines will be purchased. Officials want to advance in solving the problem and revive the airfield in Siversky. Prospects for the development of the runway theoretically exist. They want to make the transportation of passengers cheap so that people can travel inside the country without any special material costs.
The problem of project financing
However, for the reconstruction of the facility and the purchase of aircraft, financial costs are required, and considerable. For several years now, there have been rumors that the Eurosib company will be financing the project, which back in 2014 announced to regional officials that it was ready to cooperate. And the governor of the Leningrad Region, of course, understood the need to reconstruct the once-elite airport, but the project contains many controversial issues, therefore, it was recommended not to rush things, but carefully weigh the pros and cons.
Federal officials see obstacle
However, despite the willingness of local authorities to consider the revival of the take-off area in Siversky, this initiative is not yet supported by the Federal Ministry of Transport. The head of the department, Maxim Sokolov, said that, according to the agreement on the GKCh Pulkovo, no runway can be built within a radius of four hundred kilometers. The official emphasized that this would only impede the functioning of the Russian airline complex.
Moreover, he added that the taboo on the construction of runways in certain cases is a normal international practice, otherwise large airports will experience financial difficulties due to the fact that new competitors have appeared on the market. But here the head of the Leningrad region adheres to a different point of view. In his opinion, the new runway a priori will not become a competitor for Pulkovo.
