PrimaMedia, April 1
Putin unveils Blagoveshchensk's massive new airport terminal via video link
Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated via video link a new passenger terminal at Blagoveshchensk's Ignatyevo Airport on March 31. The airport had previously completed a new runway, enabling it to handle wide-body and long-haul aircraft, Primamedia news agency reports.
Blagoveshchensk has become the ninth regional capital in Russia's Far Eastern Federal District to open a new air terminal.
All domestic flights have already been transferred to the new facility. International service is expected to begin in the summer, the airport's press service announced.
Named after Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky, Blagoveshchensk Ignatyevo International Airport is located 15 kilometers northwest of the city and just 3.5 kilometers from the Chinese border.
Following reconstruction, the new terminal is nearly four times larger than its predecessor, spanning over 26,000 square meters. Its capacity reaches 1,000 passengers per hour—600 on domestic routes and 400 on international flights. The terminal features 23 check-in counters and three baggage carousels.
"Last year, Blagoveshchensk Airport served over 1 million passengers. The new, modern terminal will allow us to handle nearly 2 million travelers annually," Transport Minister Vitaly Saveliev reported to the president.
The new terminal was built with financial support from VEB.RF. Construction took nearly three years.
The project was implemented under a 30-year concession agreement signed in March 2018. The initiative was led by ABS Holding, a joint venture between Airports of Regions management company and the Novaport group.
To date, with backing from VEB.RF, 18 airport complexes have been opened across 17 regions, including seven in the Far East.
