Who Really Built Bagram Airbase? Setting the Historical Record Straight

A recent viral post on social media has brought the history of Bagram Airbase back into the spotlight, making the bold claim that the United States must reclaim a facility it built. This statement, however, overlooks a crucial chapter of 20th-century history. The question “Who built Bagram Airbase?” has a clear and well-documented answer: it was constructed by the Soviet Union.

The origins of the massive airfield complex north of Kabul date back to the 1950s. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States vied for global influence, and Afghanistan became a strategic pawn in this great game. As part of a broader effort to secure influence and foster ties with the Afghan government, the USSR undertook significant infrastructure projects. The expansion and major development of Bagram Airbase was one of these key projects, fundamentally transforming it from a rudimentary airstrip into a major strategic hub capable of handling heavy military aircraft.

The base’s Soviet-designed and Soviet-built infrastructure became critically important during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989). It served as the primary logistical and operational center for the Soviet 40th Army throughout the conflict. For a decade, it was a symbol of Soviet military power in the region.

Following the Soviet withdrawal and subsequent years of civil war, the base fell into disuse and disrepair. It was not until the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 that Bagram saw large-scale activity again. The US military significantly expanded the base, adding new facilities, runways, and infrastructure to support its operations. While the US certainly modernized and vastly enlarged the complex, the core foundations and layout of the main airfield are a legacy of its original Soviet builders.

Therefore, the historical record is clear. While the United States invested billions in modernizing Bagram Airbase during its twenty-year tenure, the credit for its initial construction and development as a major military installation belongs unequivocally to the Soviet Union (USSR). Understanding this history is key to avoiding the spread of misinformation and appreciating the complex geopolitical past of Afghanistan.
Soviet Union in Afghanistan

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