Airfields later inherited by Turkmenistan were used for Soviet strikes and support in Afghanistan, notably Tu-22M3 bomber operations from Mary-2 in 1987–1989.

Turkmenistan did not exist as a state during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, and its air force did not fight in it. Its airfields did. According to Wikipedia’s Tu-22M article, two squadrons of the 185th Guards Heavy Bomber Regiment deployed from Poltava to Mary-2 in December 1987 and flew strikes into January 1988, including operations to relieve Khost; sixteen Tu-22M3s covered the Soviet withdrawal from October 1988, and the last Afghan operation was flown at the Salang pass in January 1989. The Turkmen Air Force article records the last Tu-22M3 squadron leaving Mary-2 in 1989. Since 1992 Turkmenistan has declared permanent neutrality, recognised by the UN in 1995, belongs to no alliance and has not sent aircraft to any conflict.

Resultado Soviet withdrawal completed in February 1989. The district’s aviation on Turkmen soil passed to Turkmenistan in 1992. Since independence the Turkmen Air Force has flown in no war or foreign operation, in line with its permanent neutrality.

Operations from other Turkmen airfields during the war are not documented in the sources reached.

Voando para

Soviet Air Forces (Turkestan Military District and long-range aviation), not the Turkmen Air Force, which did not yet exist

Onde

Afghanistan, from airfields in the Turkmen SSR including Mary-2

Ao lado de

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

Contra

Afghan mujahideen

Aeronave

Tu-22M3 (185th Guards Heavy Bomber Regiment, deployed from Poltava)

Missões

—No sortie count for units based in Turkmenistan was found.

Perdas

Losses of units based in Turkmenistan were not established and overall Soviet losses are not given here because they cannot be attributed to them.

Fontes

Wikipédia · Wikipédia · Nações Unidas