Two fighter jets that took off from NATO's Aviano Air Base in Italy landed in Albania on March 4 to mark the reopening of the Soviet-era Kucova Air Base. NATO has invested more than $50 million to refurbish the base -- once known as "Stalin City" -- in Albania, which joined the alliance in 2009 but does not have fighter jets of it own. "This is a base that will (add) another element of security for our Western Balkan region," Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said during the inauguration, noting the increased threat Europe faces from "the ambitions of Russia." To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
New NATO Base Opens In Albania At Former Soviet-Era 'Stalin City' Air Field
Military personnel watch as Eurofighter Typhoon jets fly over the newly rebuilt air base in Kucova, Albania, on March 4.