Posted on 03/20/2025 4:31:57 PM PDT by Grzegorz 246
MOSCOW, March 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine struck a major Russian strategic bomber airfield on Thursday with drones, triggering a huge blast and fire about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines of the war, Russian and Ukrainian officials said.
Videos verified by Reuters showed a huge blast spreading out from the airfield, wrecking nearby cottages. Russia's defence ministry said air defences had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions.
The base in Engels, which dates back to Soviet times, hosts Russia's Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers, known unofficially as White Swans.
Roman Busargin, governor of Saratov, said there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Engels that had left an airfield on fire, and that nearby residents had been evacuated. He did not specifically mention the Engels base, but it is the main airfield in the area.
Ukraine's defence ministry said its forces had struck the airfield and triggered secondary detonations of ammunition. Kyiv said Russia had used the Engels base to carry out strikes on Ukraine.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
TU 160 is the Russian version of the B1, AKA the B-oneski
Yeah, be careful what you wanted to start in the first place.
Massive secondary explosions of ammunition were reported from the strike with dozens of residential properties nearby suffering damage, and smoke visible from more than six miles away.
After the detonation of the ammunition store in Engels-2, debris scattered more than three miles from the exploding missiles, say reports.
One theory is that a new supply of Kh-101 missiles had arrived at the airbase on an Il-76 transport plane, and that Ukraine had intelligence about it. At the time of the explosion, three Tu-95MS and two Tu-160s strategic bombers were at the Engels-2 airbase.
Ukraine is really trying to start a nuclear flashpoint. I hope Ukraine rids the World of Zeleskyyyyyyy
that’s a shame they got through to the Russian base
Of course if Russia would just leave Ukraine all of this would stop, but somehow you failed to consider that option.
Paybacks are fair play. People in glass houses shouldn’t be throwing stones.
Trump has essentially dumped Zelensky. He can’t be trusted. He’s right there with the democrat party trying to jerk us around.
If the deranged Zeeplinsky doesn’t stop, Trump will pull the rug out from under his Napoleon complex.
Yes, how dare the President of Ukraine try to defend his country from the invasion of the peaceful Russians!
He failed in spite of collecting billions in arms and cash.
Now he can’t admit defeat and cease his war mongering.
WWIII is not an option for rational thinkers.
I gotta save that
“I hope Ukraine rids the World of Zeleskyyyyyyy”
I hope so too. The little creep is trying to start WW3.
ARTICLE
4 Takeaways From Trump-Zelensky Call: Russia-Ukraine War
NewsweeK
Brendan Cole
March 20 2025 6:38 AM EDT
https://www.newsweek.com/four-takeaways-trump-zelensky-call-russia-ukraine-war-update-2047636
krainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday in a social media post that outlined areas of engagement between the leaders regarding the war Russia started.
Zelensky said on X, formerly Twitter, that he had “a positive” conversation with Trump, whom he thanked. The call contrasts the leaders’ White House meeting on February 28, which ended in rancor.
A day after Trump touted his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which a 30-day ceasefire was proposed, Zelensky said he and the U.S. president agreed that they should work to secure lasting peace, which they believed could “be achieved this year.”
Their conversation touched on intelligence sharing, ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure, and the U.S. controlling Ukraine’s nuclear plants. Zelensky also later announced that Kyiv would receive a new batch of F-16 fighter jets.
On X, Zelensky wrote that Trump had shared details about his prior conversation with Putin. One topic they raised was ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure, which would ease pressure on Ukraine as it has faced regular barrages from Russian missiles and drones, particularly in winter.
...
The Russian leader had agreed to a 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure but stopped short of backing a full truce, and hours after his conversation with Trump, both sides of the conflict accused the other of launching strikes. (Excerpt)
ARTICLE:
LEAD STORY — Awwwwww
by The Editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
|
MARCH 7TH, 2025
Looking for love? If you’re in Dodauer Forest in northern Germany, you’re in luck. The Associated Press reported on March 4 about the Bridegroom’s Oak, a 500-year-old tree that has served as a mailbox for the lovelorn for over a century. The custom originated with a couple whose relationship was opposed by the woman’s father; they left messages for each other in the tree’s knothole and eventually married in 1892. Here’s how it works: People send a letter (address: Brautigamseiche, Dodauer Forest, 23701 Eutin, Germany), and the postmaster delivers it to the tree. Visitors can climb a 10-foot ladder to retrieve a few letters, leaf through them and choose a pen pal. “The resulting pen pal relationships have even led to a few marriages,” noted the postal service. [AP, 3/4/2025]
On another note, I like the word “knothole.”
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