Sukhumi Dranda Airport
Encyclopedia
Sukhumi Dranda Airport is the main airport of Abkhazia
. It is alternatively known as Sukhum Babushara Airport. Both Dranda and Babushara are villages located nearby. The airport derives the first part of its name from Sukhumi
, the capital of Abkhazia, which it is located some 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) away from the airport.
in the early 1990s. Land mines and other explosive remnants of war have been cleared from the airport since by the HALO Trust
, the only land mine clearance agency active in Abkhazia at the present time.
The airport is currently only used for flights to the mountain village of Pskhu
and for flights carried out by Russian Air Force
.
In 2006 the government of the Republic of Abkhazia
expressed its desire to resume international air traffic in the near future, but airport is not recognized as international by ICAO and flight can be allowed only with permissions of Georgian government.
There is another airport in Abkhazia near Gudauta
, which serves Russian military troops located there.
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
. It is alternatively known as Sukhum Babushara Airport. Both Dranda and Babushara are villages located nearby. The airport derives the first part of its name from Sukhumi
Sukhumi
Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The city suffered heavily during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s.-Naming:...
, the capital of Abkhazia, which it is located some 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) away from the airport.
History
The airport was built in the mid-1960s, when the region was part of the Soviet Union. In the Soviet era, it was used only for domestic flights, primarily to transport people from across the Soviet Union to the sunny beaches of Abkhazia. The airport was heavily damaged during the civil warGeorgian Civil War
The Georgian Civil War consisted of inter-ethnic and intranational conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia , as well as the violent military coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992 against the first democratically elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia and his...
in the early 1990s. Land mines and other explosive remnants of war have been cleared from the airport since by the HALO Trust
HALO Trust
The HALO Trust is a non-political, non-religious registered British charity and American non-profit organization whose purpose is to remove the debris left behind by war, in particular, landmines and unexploded ordnance that might present a danger to civilians. Founded in 1988 it was the first...
, the only land mine clearance agency active in Abkhazia at the present time.
The airport is currently only used for flights to the mountain village of Pskhu
Pskhu
Pskhu is a village in the Sukhumi district of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. Its population was about 150 with ethnic Russians constituting a majority. The village is situated in the eponymous valley between the Greater Caucasus and Bzyb ranges. The river Bzyb and several of...
and for flights carried out by Russian Air Force
Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
.
In 2006 the government of the Republic of Abkhazia
Government of the Republic of Abkhazia
The Government of the Republic of Abkhazia is the de facto political leadership of the partially recognised Republic of Abkhazia.-Executive branch:...
expressed its desire to resume international air traffic in the near future, but airport is not recognized as international by ICAO and flight can be allowed only with permissions of Georgian government.
There is another airport in Abkhazia near Gudauta
Gudauta
Gudauta is a town in Abkhazia and a centre of the eponymous district. It is situated on the Black Sea, 37 km northwest to Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia....
, which serves Russian military troops located there.