Poduzhemye (air base)

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Poduzhemye
Kem, Karelia in Russia
Poduzhemye Shown within Karelia Show map of Karelia Poduzhemye Poduzhemye (Russia) Show map of Russia
Coordinates	64°55′6″N 034°15′54″E / 64.91833°N 34.26500°E / 64.91833; 34.26500
Type	Air Base
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Russian Air Force
Site history
Built	1944 (1944)
In use	1944 - 1994 (1994)
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: XLPU
Elevation	48 metres (157 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 09/27 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) Concrete

Poduzhemye (also Kem/Uzhmana or Uzhmana) is a former air base in Karelia, Russia located 16 km west of Kem.

The 265th Fighter Aviation Regiment arrived at the base from Riga-Rumbula in Latvia in 1953, when it was flying Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s (NATO: Fagot).^[1] It transitioned to Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17s (NATO: Fresco) in 1954 and Sukhoi Su-15 (NATO: Flagon) in 1969. It was subordinated to the 113th Fighter Aviation Division from 13.6.55 - 1960, the 5th Air Defence Division, 1961 - 4.80, the Air Forces of the Leningrad Military District, 4.80 - 3.86, and then the 23rd Air Defence Division, 3.86 - 1994. It also flew Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO: Flanker) aircraft.^[2] The regiment was disbanded in 1994.

Aircraft from this base forced down Korean Air Flight 902, a Boeing 707, in 1978. Google high-res imagery shows that the base is abandoned and is in neglected condition. There is a noteworthy 45 x 25 m hangar north of the airfield.