Shooting incident in school in Russia kills at least 17, injures another 24 - gunman takes his own life

A gunman opens fire in a school in central Russia, kills at least 17 people and injures another 24 before committing suicide. The tragic incident happened in the city of Izhevsk, a city located some 600 miles east of Moscow. Russian authorities have identified the gunman. He was in his early 30s and a graduate of the same school. It seems he wore a black T-shirt bearing “Nazi symbols.” His motives are still shrouded in mystery. The dead included 11 children. Another 22 children suffered injuries in the attack. According to the governor of Udmurtia, Alexander Brechalov, the gunman was registered as a patient at a psychiatric facility. He committed suicide after the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the attack as “inhuman.” Russia: At least 17 dead, 24 wounded in Izhevsk school shooting. A spokesman of the Kremlin said - “President Putin deeply mourns the deaths of people, children, at a school where there was a terrorist attack by a person, who apparently belongs to a neo-fascist group.” He added - the president wishes for the recovery of those injured as a result of this inhuman terrorist attack.

Authorities of Russia reveals that the gunman used two non-lethal handguns adapted to fire real bullets. The guns were not registered. The authorities have launched criminal investigation into the incident on charges of multiple murders and illegal possession of firearms. After the incident, students were made to evacuate the premises and it was cordoned off. The school caters to children aged six to 17. The population of the city of Izhevsk is about 640,000 people and it is located west of the Ural Mountains in central Russia. While shooting in schools is more frequent in the United States and many other countries, it is not so in Russia. In April 2022, a man killed two children and a teacher at a kindergarten in the central Ulyanovsk region before killing himself. Before that, in May 2021, a lone teenage gunman opened fire in the city of Kazan and killed nine people. Seven of them were children. In another incident of 2018, a student at a college in Russian-annexed Crimea killed 20 people. Then he committed suicide. Incidentally, in Russia, military service is compulsory for men aged between 18 and 27. There have been a few incidents in the past of death from gun violence in the military.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Curd based delicious foods like mishit doi, boondi raita and lassi

Freight train services resume between North Korea and China after a brief suspension due to pandemic

Durga Puja and senior citizens of Kolkata

China hurls accusations at the United States on the Taiwan issue

Mahalaya brings a festive flavor in Bengal due to Durga Puja

Charm of the snake boat race in Kerala, known as ‘God’s own Country’

A Durga Puja in the Netherlands will distribute khichudi bhog on paper plates made by women of the Sunderbans

Chinese drones in the skies of Taiwan increase tension in the region

Rain cannot dampen the spirit of Puja shoppers 2022

China and Russia launch war games to confront tensions with the United States

Russia wants to use the latest round of war-games Vostok 2022 to demonstrate that it has sufficient military might to undertake massive drills. This is in spite of its engagement in other fronts. The intention of the weeklong war games between China and Russia is to show their cooperation against the United States. The Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercises will go on at seven firing ranges in Russia’s Far East and the Sea of Japan. The Russian participation would be of more than 50,000 troops and 5,000 weapons units. These would include aircraft and warships. China, on its part, would join with more than 2,000 troops along with more than 300 military vehicles, 21 combat aircraft and 3 warships. The chief of the Russian General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, will personally oversee the drills. These would involve troops from a number of former Soviet nations apart from countries like China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria. The Defense Ministry revealed that the navies of Russia and China would conduct exercises in the Sea of Japan. Russia launches war games with China amid growing tensions for both with the U.S. . This will be the first time that China has sent forces from three branches of its military to involve in a single Russian drill.

Vostok 2022 is described as an exercise to showcase the extent of the Sino-Russian military cooperation and mutual trust. These have strengthened recently. China has blamed the U.S. and NATO for imposing sanctions on Moscow. Russia responded by backing China in the tensions with the U.S. following the visit to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted that Washington was trying to foment global instability. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have developed a bond that bolsters a “strategic partnership” between the former communist rivals. Both of them have a common rival in the United States.

Some popular stories of this blogger –

Taiwan shoots down civilian drone near China

Mamata Banerjee expresses gratitude to UNESCO for awarding Cultural Heritage tag to Kolkata’s Durga Puja

Jilebi and Vada-pau make it to a list of 50 of the best street foods in Asia

Maddox Square puja returns in all its glory after two years due to Covid-19

The Midwest and the South of the U.S. faced severe storms, damaging winds, heavy rains and flash floods

Greenland is losing ice at a fast rate with global sea level rise

Meghan Markle says she and her husband were "happy" to leave the UK

NASA enters second phase of going to the Moon after 50 years

It is easy to mint millions in Bengal if one knows the ropes and has the right contacts

At least 50 sleeping soldiers killed in Mykolaiv due to Russian missile attack, toll could increase

This time the Russians targeted a military base in Mykolaiv. It was another missile attack and a part of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The calculations of Russian President Vladimir Putin appear to be off course. This is because of the defiance of the Ukrainians. There were 200 troops inside the barracks and the attack took place as they slept. The exact number of casualties yet to be ascertained but the authorities have recovered at least 50 bodies. A serviceman of Ukraine has indicated this to a media agency. Details are provided by Sky News.

It will take time to assess the full extent of losses. This is because the site was under the control of the military. Many more bodies could still be in the rubble. A media outlet from Belgium visited the scene of the missile attack. They tried to record the scenes of destruction. According to the media outlet, the Russians had launched at least two missiles. In the words of a soldier, probably someone wants to test his weapons. A war does provide opportunities to test out new weapons.


Popular stories on this and related sites –


Tidbits of the 15th edition of TATA IPL 2022

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 4

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 3

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 2

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 1

Old age home for senior citizens

Health is an important issue for senior citizens above 60

Senior citizens in the world of smart phones and credit cards

Bollywood film industry celebrates Holi, the festival of colors, to welcome spring

Uttar Pradesh celebrates Holi, the festival of colors, to welcome spring

Russian losses keep mounting, it is unable to control any major city in Ukraine

The war between Russia and Ukraine is into its second week. Kremlin describes it not as a war but a “special military operation.” That is how President Vladimir V. Putin looks at it. He believes that everything is going according to plan. However, the ground realities tend to paint a different picture. Russia has not been able to seize and control any of the major cities or population centers. These include Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa. In the process, Russia has lost many of its weapons and soldiers. The government of Ukraine has indicated the Russian losses as staggering.

NYTimes dated 8 March 2022 says loss of Russian soldiers is in excess of 12000. The Ukraine military has shot down or destroyed 48 of their airplanes and 80 helicopters. It has also captured or destroyed 303 tanks and innumerable mechanized vehicles and cars. Moreover, they have even taken out two Russian naval vessels, including a warship and blown up dozens of fuel tanker and mobile missile launching systems. These figures are difficult to verify but President Volodymyr Zelensky said - “Russia has not lost as much aircraft in the past 30 years as in 13 days in Ukraine.” Incidentally, satellite imagery tends to suggest loss of roughly 950 Russian vehicles. These include 140 tanks that have either been destroyed or damaged.

Ukraine plans missile tests, Russia responds by sending warships to the Black Sea

Ukraine has begun two days of missile tests near Crimea and it has angered Russia in a fresh escalation of tensions between the two countries. Russia has retaliated by putting its air defence forces on high alert and deploying warships in the Black Sea.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 1 Dcember 2016.

It may be recalled that relations between the one-time allies had collapsed in 2014 when Russia seized Crimea and backed pro-Russian separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Regarding the present escalation of tension is attributed to Ukraine trying to bolster its defence capabilities and testing S-300 medium-range surface-to-air missiles. As the head of the Ukrainian military's southern branch press-service has explained - the exercise is to gain experience in using these anti-aircraft missile systems and to check the quality of the rockets. These rockets had been repaired. Another reason is to improve the skills of the anti-aircraft missile troop units. He has added that the tests are being carried out in accordance with international law.
It seems Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed 55,000 troops on the Ukrainian border in Russia's latest muscle-flexing exercise. This sudden influx of feet on the ground adds to up to 7,500 Russian soldiers already stationed in Ukraine. This has prompted fears of an invasion.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

President Pranab Mukherjee to be present for Vikramshila Mahotsav

Baliyatra fair on the banks of the Mahanadi sees over one lakh visitors on opening day

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to bury the hatchet and work together to fight terrorism


Lord Shiva and long ATM queues - bullock carts and ATM don't gel (satire)

Moody fires cannons to eliminate mosquitoes (satire)

Fuchka Festival in Kolkata and selfies (satire)


Spanish police arrest two suspected ISIS terrorists in Barcelona and Madrid

At least 52 killed and more than 100 injured in a bomb blast at a remote Sufi shrine in Pakistan

Joint action by RFA, Royal Navy and US Coast Guard nets huge haul of cocaine from the sea


La La Land to have its Indian premiere at the Jio MAMI Film Club

Jackie Chan gets an Oscar after a 56-year career

Spider-Man: Homecoming will see Michael Keaton as Spider-Man's main adversary Vulture

NATO troops on high alert in view of fears that President Putin might attack the West

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has been accused of attempting to interfere with the US election process by hacking into the emails of senior members of the Democratic party. He has also recently moved the Iskander nuclear-capable missiles into the Kaliningrad enclave, on the borders with Poland. Therefore, NATO members like Estonia, Poland and Romania are feeling more and more threatened by Moscow.
Obviously, NATO chiefs are in panic that Russian President Vladimir Putin might attack the West and are, therefore, trying to get together a force of 300,000 troops which they can put on 'high alert'.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 7 November 2016.

Relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated because of Moscow's insistence on backing its Syrian ally, President Bashar al-Assad, at all costs. This has led to serious tension with the US, Britain and France. While most of the NATO members have slashed their defense spending after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has been bolstering its military capabilities. It has been holding parades involving more than 100,000 troops each year.
It is understood that it would take NATO at least six months to deploy a force of 300,000 - and it was too slow. President Putin has assured that his country does not want world domination or expansion or confrontation with anyone. Russia values its independence and own identity.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

British Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to India - mango and visa on the agenda

Air India Express to provide improved air connectivity between Kolkata and Singapore

Mamata Banerjee to visit the United States in 2017 to woo industries


Lord Shiva’s views on Kalighat and marriages (satire)

Moody and the half pant brigade (satire)

Didi’s idea - deflate tyres to punish unruly drivers (satire)


Iraq special forces advanced into Mosul while ISIS militants killed 20

British police have foiled 12 terror plots against Britain in the last three years

No-fly zones to be imposed over jails to prevent drones from being used to smuggle drugs into prisons


Michael Fassbender says no to next James Bond - will a woman take over?

Second trailer of Wonder Woman released- will be in the cinemas in July 2017

Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) begins 11 November

Russia recalling its people fearing a global war with the United States

It is understood that Russia is ordering all of its officials to fly home any relatives living abroad amid heightened tensions over the prospect of global war with the United States. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has also warned that the world is at a 'dangerous point' as a result of rising tensions between the super powers Russia and the US.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 12 October 2016.

It seems politicians and high-ranking officials have received a warning from president Vladimir Putin to bring their loved-ones home to the 'Motherland'. This is after President Putin cancelled a planned visit to France. It is a fallout of a furious row over Moscow's role in the Syrian conflict.
Moreover, it was just days after it was revealed that the Kremlin had moved nuclear-capable missiles near to the Polish border. The Iskander missiles that have been sent to Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, are now within range of major Western cities including Berlin.
The instructions are for all administration staff, regional administrators, lawmakers of all levels and employees of public corporations to take their children out of foreign schools immediately. Those who do not comply could jeopardize their chances of promotion.
It is no secret that relations between Russia and the US are at their lowest since the Cold War and have become worse in recent days after Washington pulled the plug on Syria talks and accused Russia of hacking attacks.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Taiwan struck by Typhoon Megi, third typhoon in two weeks

Terrorist alarm in Uran was the figment of a 12-year-old schoolgirl's imagination

Tourist season in Kaziranga National Park to start from October 1 instead of November 1


Moody is off mood – Na Buzz had fooled him again (satire)

Didi’s version of ABCD - cycle to work to bypass potholes (satire)

Goddess Durga and her kids wait for the annual bash (satire)


9300 people killed in Russian airstrikes in Syria during last year

MH17 flight shot down by rocket over Ukraine in 2014 was work of pro-Moscow rebels

Shooting in Burlington - gunman on the run after shooting dead four women in a shopping center


Mark Wahlberg talks about movie on Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico

Adele creates a record - her latest album 25 has gone platinum in the US

Movie memorabilia go under the hammer - Batman's batpod fetches £312,000

US and Russia to join forces to tackle the twin threats of ISIS and Al-Qaida

A landmark agreement has been announced that will see the US and Russia join forces to tackle the twin threats of ISIS and Al-Qaida. Both countries announced a ceasefire after a day-long meeting between secretary of state John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov in Geneva, Switzerland. If the ceasefire, which begins Monday, holds for a week, the two countries will then launch a military partnership to target Islamic extremists in the region.
The deal comes after months of diplomacy that included four meetings between Kerry and Lavrov since August 26 followed by a lengthy face-to-face meeting between Presidents Obama and Putin in China.
This has been reported in dailymail.,co.uk dated 10 September 2016.

At a joint news conference, John Kerry has indicated that the plan could reduce violence in Syria and lead to a long-sought-after political transition because, it would end more than five years of bloodshed that has claimed the lives of 500,000 people.
Of course, success of the deal would depend upon support from both Syria's Russian-backed government, led by President Bashar Assad, and US-supported anti-Assad rebels. The arrangement hinges on Moscow pressuring Assad's government to halt all offensive operations against Syria's armed opposition and civilian areas.
Simultaneously, it would be the responsibility of Washington to persuade 'moderate' rebels to break away from the Nusra Front which is al-Qaida's Syria affiliate, and other extremist groups. Moreover, both sides would have to withdraw from demilitarized zones to allow civilian traffic and humanitarian deliveries. The ceasefire and traffic must hold for a week before collaboration between the countries begins after which the US and Russia will then begin intelligence sharing and targeting coordination and Assad's forces will focus their attention on ISIS instead of Nusra.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


Some more interesting links -

Didi meets Puja organisers and outlines her do's and dont's

Researchers unearth reasons of why people snore

Population of blackbuck in Bareilly district have fallen by more than 71% in three years


Moody wants Gold medals from Olympics (satire)

Didi to search for the stolen gold medallion (satire)

Lord Shiva stumped by the sea of humanity on 21st (satire)


Man slips while watching bull running in Spain and gored to death

Suicide bomb and gun attacks in northwestern Pakistan leave at least 13 dead

Explosion in a street market in Philipines kills at least 12


MTV's Video Music Awards in New York - Beyonce walked away with top honours

Sonakshi Sinha breaks bones and throws punches in Akira

Lindsay Lohan wants to participate in a Russian talk show with President Putin

Turkey downed two Russian fighter jets - Putin says the US leaked its flight path

Russian President Putin has accused the U.S. of being complicit in the destruction of its military jet three days ago - he has suggested that the Americans knew exactly when and where it was traveling and had divuged that to Turkey. Putin made these charges during a press conference at the Kremlin. He has said that the Russians had given prior information to the U.S. of the flight path of the plane - but the U.S. had 'leaked' the information to Turkey.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 27 November 2015.

The Turkish military had shot down the Russian Su-24 warplane close to the Syrian border after it had reportedly violated its airspace. Both pilots ejected from the plane and one of them was rescued by Russian special forces after he landed in the forest in rebel-held territory. The other pilot was shot dead by rebels.
Anyway, Putin's dreaded S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems that had been mobilized after the destruction of the fighter jets were being unloaded from military transports in Syria.
President Putin has vowed to join France in coordinating bombing campaigns against ISIS forces and has also agreed to share intelligence information.
Incidentally, Russia has accused Turkey of 'planned provocation' and supporting ISIS in selling human organs.
However, thee are hops that there will be closer ties between Moscow and the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition after the Paris terror attacks in spite of animosity surrounding the downed jet.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

The 'Pat & Jolie' instant noodles worry Lord Shiva (satire)

Make in India (satire)

Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

Indians hate holidays - India is 4th most holiday-starved nation


Music venues in UK beef up their security in view of Paris terror attacks

Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons


The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

Suicide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria

The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

#ISIS #VladimirPutin #BarackObama #G20Antalya #Parisattacks The simultaneous terror attacks in Paris that left nearly 150 dead in divergent locations in the city has forced the two most important leaders of the world into a huddle. They are the two Presidents Barack Obama of the United States and Vladimir Putin of Russia. They have, in fact, agreed on the first steps towards peace in Syria.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 17 November 2015.

The horror of the attacks in Paris have visibly shaken the leaders out of their slumbers at the G20 summit in Turkey and has added a new urgency to their search for a solution to the four-year war in Syria that has enabled the rise of ISIS (Islamic State) jihadists.
The two leaders had met over a coffee table on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Antalya to align their positions on Syria and the conversation lasted about 35 minutes. In the opinion of observers, the way they were interacting was in sharp contrast to the frigid body language that had marked previous meetings.
It is understood that both the leaders have agreed on the need for United Nations talks, a ceasefire and a transition government in Syria.
This is believed to be a plan for Syria that had been forged by diplomats in Vienna the previous day. The Kremlin said "divergences" remained on tactics even if they shared the same goal against ISIS. It was their first meeting since Russia in September launched an air campaign in Syria and ISIS had claimed that they had shot down a Russian jet in Egypt.
World leaders have raised the alarm over the entry of foreign terrorist fighters and have agreed to share intelligence, track border crossings and boost aviation security.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the Humpty Dumpty syndrome (satire)

Winning elections is not as simple as making tea (satire)

Indian smugglers are celebs, boast of official doubles (satire)


Tea is a health drink - four cups a day can keep the doctors away

No more 'Rent-a-Womb' in India

Tourist bus ploughs into pedestrians in Union Square, San Francisco - 20 injured


Big B attends 21st Kolkata International Film Festival at Netaji Indoor Stadium

Alisha Chinai adds to the glamour quotient at Wembley Stadium

24th James Bond movie 'Spectre' earns USD 300 million in less than two weeks


Jihadi John killed by a 1000-mph missile striking his car

Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the Lake Superior 40 years back with 29 on board

Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

President Putin wants to set up airbase in Belarus but Belarus does not approve

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to establish a Russian military air base in neighboring Belarus. But, while Belarus does not approve of a Russian base, it is helpless because the former Soviet republic continues to remains dependent on Moscow for credit and energy. And, the Russian move would unnerve Poland and the Baltic nations.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 20 September 2015.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has not commented on Putin's initiative but, the two presidents had met in the southern Russian city of Sochi and President Putin has ordered his Defense Ministry to hold talks with their Belarusian counterparts and sign the agreement.
Russia has radar and a navy communications facility in Belarus, but this would be the first airbase. Belarus has its advantages and is a desirable location for Russia because it borders Ukraine and three members of the European Union and NATO: Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.
Moreover setting up such a base is not new. The idea of setting up an airbase in the ex-Soviet republic had been revealed by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in 2013. It follows a 2009 agreement under which Russia and Belarus had agreed to defend their common external frontier and airspace.
The proposed base would be used to station Su-27 fighters.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Some more interesting 'must reads'-

ASI hikes entry fees to Taj Mahal by 200%

Heavy rains lash Pune, trains cancelled, passengers stranded for hours in trains

Bangalore does not want people to feed pigeons in Cubbon Park


NBA Superstar 7ft 2in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to publish novel on Mycroft Holmes, elder brother of Sherlock Holmes

Priyanka Chopra and Monica Dogra nominated by VH1for Europe Music Awards 2015

John Abraham and Sonakshi Sinha shoot ‘Force 2’ in Ethnographic Museum Budapest


Death toll rises to 193 in fuel tanker explosion in South Sudan

Taliban attacks mosque in Peshawar Air Force base and leaves 20 dead

Russia sends fighter jets to Syria to bolster Assad’s defenses


36-days for Durga Puja and the dhakis get ready

Industries just do not gel with West Bengal

Bengalis are daydreamers tied to mothers’ apron strings

Boris Nemstov, a fierce critic of President Putin, shot dead in Moscow

#BorisNemstov #VladimirPutin #Ukraine #DavidCameron #WhiteHouse Russia's former deputy Prime Minister 55-year-old Boris Nemstov who was a strong critic of President Vladimir Putin has been shot dead by unidentified assailants in Moscow as reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 28 February 2015. The assailants shot him four times from a passing car.
It seems he was working on a sensitive report regarding concrete evidence about the direct involvement of Russia in the separatist movement in Ukraine that had erupted last year.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has condemned the killing and has termed it as despicable and callous. He has also added that the people of Russian had been deprived of a champion of their rights and that Boris Nemtsov was greatly admired in Britain.
It seems the incident occurred as Mr Nemtsov was walking along the Bolshoy Kammeny Bridge towards Bolotnaya Square. Along with him was a female acquaintance who had come from Ukraine.
The White House wants that the investigation is "prompt, impartial and transparent".
President Putin has condemned the death and has indicated that, to him, it appeared to be a “contract killing" – he has also said that he will personally oversee the investigation into the shooting.
,br> Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist

Another interesting blog - Ramblings