It seems Russia doesn’t want the ruins it created spoiling the propaganda view.
In eastern Ukraine, Russia’s bloody legacy boils down to it having killed tens of thousands of Ukrainians, laid waste to vast swathes of land and shelled into oblivion two international airports. The airports in question are located in the city of Donetsk and as seen here, the airport serving the city of Luhansk.
Like the one in Donetsk, the Luhansk airport was mercilessly pulverized by Russian artillery including grad rockets. The startling result of constant and prolonged shellfire can be seen below. Only recently completely renovated, by Sept 2014 little of it was left standing.
A few years ago, Russia-led forces started using the airports runway for parade rehearsals and holding public military events. But there was a location drawback. Having the shattered airport ruins as a backdrop to their propaganda videos and photos wasn’t ideal. Russia likes to promote its two sham Donetsk & Luhansk republics as vibrant & modern, where the grass is always, always greener. Post-apocalyptic looking ruins did not fit this clean-cut image of a joyful land of plenty. So in 2016, the bulldozers moved in and satellite images show the terminal building was leveled to the ground. One can’t but smile at the irony of Russia having flattened Luhansk city airport twice.
Glasnost Gone 