Albania, wary of Russia, reopens Soviet-era air base

NATO member Albania, which has no fighter jets of its own, opened a rebuilt Soviet-era air base to serve NATO aircraft on Monday (March 4) amid an increased threat from Russia, Prime Minister Edi Rama said. The air base is located in the small town of Kucova, once known as "Stalin City" when Soviet and Chinese-made MIGs were on standby for orders to scramble in the case of a war with the West that never arrived.