Free Republic

Russia slammed Donald Trump’s plan for an ‘Iron Dome’ missile defence shield in a nuclear weapons space war row. Moscow said the move was designed to weaken Russian and Chinese nuclear deterrence. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also stressed that Russia saw the “Iron Dome” plan as confirmation of a US intention to turn space into a theatre of military confrontation. Trump signed an order on Monday for the implementation of a next-generation US missile defence shield against ballistic, hypersonic, cruise missile and other forms of aerial attack. The plan is believed to be modelled on the defensive dome...

A state of emergency has been declared in the Russian city of Engels after a Ukrainian drone strike hit an oil depot that supplies Russia's nuclear bomber planes. Saratov regional governor Roman Busargin said that two firefighters had been killed while tackling the blaze. A huge fire exploded at the “Kristal” oil complex, as well as multiple explosions, in the city of Engels after long-range strikes, said Ukraine’s military. It added that the oil depot supplied fuel to the “Engels-2” military airfield, where Russia’s nuclear bomber fleet is based. “The strike of the oil depot creates serious logistical problems for...