Russia appears to be preparing for another large-scale air attack on Ukraine with dozens of bombers spotted massing at a key airbase.
Two dozen Tu-95 and Tu-160 long-range bombers have gathered at Engels-2 air base, near the city of Saratov, alongside fuel tanks, support vehicles, and repair supplies.
Analysts say crates – likely ammunition boxes containing Kh-55 and Kh-101 cruise missiles – are also visible near the aircraft, suggesting a large-scale attack on Ukraine is ‘imminent.’
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The attack will almost certainly focus on destroying Ukraine’s already-battered power and water network which has been pounded by cruise missiles and Iranian-made kamikaze drones in recent weeks, leaving people freezing in their homes.
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Large-scale air attack on Ukraine’s energy network is feared after two dozen long-range bombers (file image) were spotted massing at a key air base
Images of the airfield were captured on November 28 and first published by Germany’s Der Spiegel.
Arda Mevlutoğlu, a military analyst, told the magazine: ‘The unusually high number of bombers on the tarmac is an indication of an increase in operations, if not an imminent large-scale attack.’
Ukraine has been bracing for more Russian air strikes with at least two country-wide air raid alerts issued this week that were subsequently called off.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking on Sunday, also warned that Russia is planning more attacks.
He told viewers in his nightly address: ‘We understand that the terrorists are planning new strikes. We know this for a fact.
‘And as long as they have missiles, they, unfortunately, will not calm down.
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Ukraine is currently suffering through blackouts and a lack of hot water after Russian missile attacks on its power plants and pumping stations
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Winter is now beginning in Ukraine with temperatures regularly dropping below freezing leaving people shivering in their homes (pictured, snow in Kyiv on Wednesday)
Zelensky said the coming week could be as difficult as the previous week, when attacks on electricity infrastructure subjected Ukrainians to the most acute power cuts since Russian troops invaded in February.
‘Our defence forces are getting ready. The entire country is getting ready,’ he said. ‘We have worked out all the scenarios, including with our partners.’
NATO leaders are currently meeting in Romania to discuss the next phase of support for Ukraine, with advanced missile defences top of the agenda.
Jen Stoltenberg, head of the alliance, and US officials have suggested talks are ongoing to give Patriot anti-air defences to Kyiv.
The missile batteries are adept at shooting down incoming rockets but are complex and difficult to operate, meaning they are often supplied with an experienced crew.
For example, when Germany has lent Patriot batteries to Slovakia and Turkey in the past they have also supplied men to operate the weapon.
That complicates the picture in Ukraine, due to fears Russia would try to target the Patriots and could end up killing NATO personnel potentially sparking war between global super-powers.
Russia POWs cheer as they return home after exchange with Ukraine
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Ukraine has called on allies to urgently supply air defence systems that can be used to protect its critical infrastructure, or else risk a fresh refugee crisis
Russia seized village of Kurdiumivka, fourth seized in two days
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Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and now head of the security council, warned yesterday that NATO would be making itself a ‘legitimate target’ by supplying the weapons.
He wrote on Telegram: ‘If… NATO supplies Kyiv fanatics with Patriot complexes along with NATO personnel, they will immediately become a legitimate target…
‘I hope the Atlantic impotents understand this.’
Kyiv says around 50 per cent of its energy infrastructure is damaged including a third of its power generating capacity, leading to blackouts across the country.
Entire cities, including the capital Kyiv, are being plunged into darkness for hours or days at a time even as temperatures fall below freezing.
Mr Stoltenberg has accused Putin of trying to ‘weaponise winter’ and spark a new wave of refugees into Europe after failing to achieve victory on the battlefield.
Never-the-less, Ukraine’s Western allies have vowed to keep supporting the country for ‘however long it takes’ to achieve victory.
I've updated this 18th March 2022
I'm Michael Casey from Birmingham England, the fat silver haired writer in shades.
Beware of Others with the EXACT SAME NAME, they are not me, and would not want to be me ...
use Google UK to find me, otherwise Posh Americans pop up
I've done loads of writing, about 2,000,000 Words worth over 34years now
But before I started to write, I LISTENED to BBC Radio 4 for 20 years,
from the age of 10 or younger
Frank Brown our lodger, went back to County Tyrone and he gifted us his Bush Radio.
He'd be nearly 100 now if he is still alive, so say a prayer for him
54 years in love with words, and I still look so dashing.
I have a picture in the attic, just like Dorian Gray
I've also had an interest in Politics for 54 years
with my dad heckling the tv and Politicians.
I almost immediately had a hit, a play called Shoplife was accepted but not finally
produced by a Theatre.
The Kenneth More Theatre, so thank them for sparing you all. This was back in 1989 yes, 30 years plus ago, the play was written in 1988. So since then I'm more than good enough, as a writer. Anything else.....
I also ignore those who just cannot write, pick your own candidate
I tend to write Comedy as I'd rather make you laugh than cry
I have written over 2000 short pieces of writing, yes 2000
" (c) by Michael Casey"
If you include "chats" 3700 samples, all told,
the chats do NOT go into my books when I compile them.
My first book ,a full length comedy/drama is The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker
You can read translations of it here on this site
Up to 20 different languages/translations have been read on the same day
via this site, here on Wordpress look fo Translations Galore page, and more
And in over 90 Countries world wide too
so you have no excuse, find your own language
and read
The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker
or Quick Stories or any other of the books in Translation on my Wordpress
This proves to me that the humour does travel
I have readers in over 100 countries now, just to repeat myself
From Nepal to American Samoa and all places North South East and West
Or its just a hit man on the run,
or whatever Unknown Region Means
It may also mean that only non English Speakers like my stuff
Coverage but lacking penetration as marketing folks might say
I did get 21,000 readers in 3 weeks for the Polish version of In Search of an Indian Princess.
which is basically the final 3 chapters of The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker
all by word of mouth. And 50,000 plus in Christmas week 2021
If you add up all the downloads from my Wordpress + 13,000 when somebody stole the file.
I have had more copies than Boris Johnson's Churchill book distributed.
Maybe 40,000 copies .
Not made a penny from it, free downloads in multiple languages.
Reverse Logic, if the world knows me, eventually somebody will pay me
But in reality I'll be dead first, and then just 2 pennies to pay the ferryman is enough
I've cut the Plaudits, you can read/decide for yourself
As for my life, I was born in the shadow of a Brewery,
I was a computer operator for a market research company into alcohol sales,
21 years altogether, StatsMR
Call centre guy, like everybody once in their life
I was also a Trainee Betting Shop Manager
I was a concierge and 10 other roles at Crowne Plaza NEC Birmingham for 3 years.
Spent 3 years at Pinsent Masons Law firm in Birmingham
I even hid a copy of my comic novel "BBU" in the Law Library at Pinsent Masons, well just for a day..
I did a few other jobs too, working life in reverse so to speak
and I was an Esol English teacher in an Islamic school, for a year, I knew I could teach.
I got Excellent, Excellent and Exemplary on the external assessment, yes really
And I asked them to pray for me at least once a day
beside which I've had a Shanghai connection for 20 years now, including 2 bilingual daughters
and being a hausfrau a long time too, I'm a great dad, as I've had lots of time with my daughters
I can always make somebody talk or laugh
I believe my short stories could be used to teach English, just package them up correctly
or App them
Or a Tale a Day from Michael, a story telling App
What else, I was brawn and brains, I used to be as strong as an Ox, now I just smell like one
We have a cat called Totoro, my daughters wanted a pet I said they could have a dog if I died , or a cat if I had a heart attack. A few weeks after that in Jan 2015 I had an Unplanned Quadruple Heart Bypass , it was supposed to be a triple but it ended up a Quadruple, 33% extra free so to speak. Now with an add on Hernia, the size of your fist, pushing through my bypass scar, it hurts when I laugh, so don't make me laugh
I also have arthritis and other hindrances that hobble my body and give me pain galore.
But my mind is free, though having read my stories you may wish I didn't bother
But I'll ignore you, and carry on regardless. I do get heckled by my own Tinnitus these past
3 years+, so I have music on all night long to drown it out.
I sleep with Miley, Taylor, Eric Clapton and Will Young,
maybe I should buy a bigger bed, or just get a better mattress.
Tinnitus is a curse, just trust me I know, each day I wake up,
Tinnitus SCREAMS at me for a full hour till it calms down
That's the end of the tidy version of my life
To finish here's the list of my 20 books, so far:-
1.The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker
2.Shoplife
3.Essays and Plays
4.Blogs 2011
5.300 and Not OUT
6.Shorts 2013
7.More Shorts 2014
8.Quick Stories
9.Still Alive 2015
10.Undiscovered Words 2016
11.Still Smiling 2017
12.Altogether Now
13.New Horizons
14.14 Up
15.15 Down
16.Sweet Sixteen
17. 17 Again
18. 18 New Views
19. The Final Cut of the 19th Hole
20. 2020 Words
21. 21 Door Keys, key to the door 21 on Bingo, hence title,
53,000 words so far
I write bullet point stuff mainly now as Tinnitus stops me from
getting in the zone to write, story stories. (c) by Michael Casey stuff
though my bullet points are better than some "writers" discuss, miaow.
That's why I dream of a speed typist, so I could dictate from the sofa
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Casey/e/B00571G0YC to buy ebooks
Loads of Korean and Arabic translations downloaded from my Wordpress, 1000s of them
Quick Stories in Korean is a big hit. Maybe Kim in North Korea should read my books, instead of wasting his countries resources on what? Just keeping one person in power, him? Instead of joining the real world and opening a string on golf courses. That way we could get rid of Trump too. Into the sunset, as they play golf.
Tears for a Butcher will be the sequel to BBU, and it too will be 600pages,
however I really need
a speed typist to put it down, while I sit and dictate like Barbara Cartland, and hopefully my speed typist would be impressed. we'd marry have half Korean kids, and form a Kpop band with our 4 new kids, with me as manager.
And yes this is more for my bucket list, as Tinnitus keeps me awake too much, 6 months of not sleeping till dawn is really killing me
Michael Casey
aka the fat silver haired writer in shades from Birmingham England
https://2.gravatar.com/avatar/efda2dca0de5b9269191b7c8b0102473?s=400&d=mm
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Humour Writing by the fat silver haired writer in shades from Birmingham England read in 162 countries so far 
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