For the regional civilian airport at Magadan, Russia see Sokol Airport

Sokol Airport

Sokol Airport is an airport in Sokol in Magadan Oblast, Russia. The airport is located 70 km north of the Magadan city center. The airport is sometimes confused with Dolinsk-Sokol air base, which was home to the fighters that shot down Korean Air Flight 007.In 1991, the town gained...

.

Dolinsk-Sokol (appearing in various forms as Sokol, Dolinsk-Sokol, Dolinsk Sokol, Solok [sic]) is a military air base in Sakhalin Oblast

Sakhalin Oblast

Sakhalin Oblast is a federal subject of Russia comprising the island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.The oblast has an area of 87,100 km² and a population of 546,695...

, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 located 8 km south of Dolinsk

Dolinsk

Dolinsk is a town in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia, the administrative center of Dolinsky District. In Japanese, it is known as Ochiai . Population: 12,555 ; 15,653 .-Geography:...

. It is a small base with no hardened areas. It existed before June 1966 according to declassified KH-7

KH-7

Codenamed Gambit, the KH-7 was a reconnaissance satellite used by the United States from July 1963 to June 1967. Like the older CORONA system, it acquired imagery intelligence by taking photographs and returning the undeveloped film to earth. It achieved a typical ground-resolution of to...

 satellite images. Its chief operating unit was 365 IAP (365th Interceptor Aviation Regiment), flying the Su-15, MiG-23, and Su-27 during its 40 years of tenure . In the 1980s it received the MiG-31 . It is also listed as being home to 361 IIVP (361st Instruction Test Helicopter Regiment) flying Mi-24 and Mi-8

Mil Mi-8

The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....

 helicopters .

Dolinsk-Sokol is famous for being home to the Sukhoi Su-15

Sukhoi Su-15

The Sukhoi Su-15 was a twin-engined supersonic interceptor developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s to replace the Sukhoi Su-11, which was becoming obsolete as the United States and Britain introduced newer and more capable strategic bombers...

 that shot down Korean Air Flight 007

Korean Air Flight 007

Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was a Korean Air Lines civilian airliner that was shot down by Soviet interceptors on 1 September 1983, over the Sea of Japan, near Moneron Island just west of Sakhalin island...

 near Moneron Island

Moneron Island

Moneron Island, is a Russian possession located off Sakhalin Island.-Description:Moneron has an area of about and a highest point of . It is approximately long by wide, and is located from Sakhalin's port of Nevelsk and about directly southwest of Sakhalin Island itself at the northeastern...

 in September 1983. At that time, base commander was General Anatoly Kornukov

Anatoly Kornukov

Army General Anatoly Kornukov is a Russian general, and former fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Defence Forces.A pilot under his command, Victor Belenko, defected to Japan in an advanced MIG-25 fighter.On Sept...

, who later become Commander of the Russian Air Force. At the time of the shootdown, Kornukov apparently ordered the shootdown to prevent KAL 007 from leaving Sakhalin airspace.