The gorgeous Savannah townhouse where famed poet Conrad Aiken witnessed his parents’ gruesome murder-suicide has hit the market for $4.9 million.

Built in the 19th century, the five-bedroom brick home was where Aiken’s father shot his mother before turning the gun on himself in 1901.

The Georgia mansion has now undergone an expensive facelift and is set to sell for over $3 million more than it bought five years ago.

Not only will the new owners enjoy numerous luxury amenities in a classically designed home, they will also find themselves in the home of one of the most celebrated writers of the 20th century.

Famed poet Conrad Aiken’s Savannah townhouse has hit the market for $4.9 million

To bring it to market, the house underwent an expensive facelift

The home could sell for over $3 million more than it was bought five years ago

Aiken lived in the house for two years until witnessing the gruesome murder-suicide of his parents

The famous poet Conrad Aiken wrote about his brief two-year stay at the home as a child

Aiken lived in the house from 1899 to 1901 when he was just 11 years old when he witnessed both of his parents being lost at the mansion.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet used the tragedy as inspiration, leading to the house being given a historic monument by the state in the 1980s.

Local businessman Josh Keller, who owns the home with his wife Kelly Keller, told the Wall Street Journal that the home’s renovation cost about $2.5 million.

But after acquiring it for just $1.15 million in 2018, the Kellers could soon be making a lucrative profit.

Aiken wrote of the murder-suicide in his autobiography, describing the event as follows: “After the desperate early-morning argument, there came the half-stifled cry and the sound of his father’s voice, counting three, and the two loud pistol shots, and he tiptoed.’ into the dark room, where the two bodies lay motionless and separate, and when he found them dead he realized that he was possessed by them forever.’

Aiken was just 11 years old when he witnessed the loss of both his parents at home

The current owners spent over $2.5 million renovating the historic mansion

The property received a historic marking from the state of Georgia in the 1980’s

The Kellers said that despite feeling the historic mansion was in need of a makeover, they’ve worked to maintain its classic look.

This applies in particular to the front façade, which was restored to its original masonry design in the course of the renovation.

Inside, all electrical, plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and ventilation systems have been replaced, making room for the installation of an elevator.

Other interior restorations included pine floors, medallions, crown molding and new marble fireplaces.

“We really tried to respect all of the original architectural details and put them back as they were,” said Josh Keller.

Multiple immaculate bathrooms, including a private suite, complete the stunning home

The luxurious amenities of the villa include an elevator

New marble fireplaces and pine wood floors were also added as part of the renovation

While retaining much of the home’s original design, the Kellers also added an addition to the rear of the home.

According to WSJ, the expansion increased the property by about 2,000 square meters, bringing the total area to about 6,000 square meters.

The new area at the back of the house includes the main kitchen, two bedrooms, the master suite and a second kitchen on the garden level.

“In this house, there are these two worlds, so to speak,” Josh said, noting the contrast between the extension and the century-old house.

An al fresco decking area leading to the garden completes the outdoor space.

After the home went on the market for $5.9 million, it will be among the most expensive for sale in the city, according to Seabolt Real Estate agent Staci Donegan.

Donegan added that despite the home’s gruesome history, it’s a city-wide tale and she didn’t expect it to turn a potential buyer away.

“People love a home with a story here,” she said. “I showed the house outside of the market to some friends and none of them were impressed with the story because everyone knows.”

Explosive reactive armor Leopard 2

Weapons developments from Ukraine are rapid and often sudden. A case in point is a Ukrainian Leopard 2 that has surfaced in the field and has an outer layer of ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) bricks with roots dating back to the Soviet Union.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1675101074082914304?s=46\u0026t=WGR8ATVuYlDW934sMHUUhQ https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1675119795983794176 https://twitter.com/CaliberObscura/status/1675099757096628225

The people of Oryx (@oryxspioenkop) even have a designation for the “Kontakt’d” Leopard 2, the 2A4V. The designation is borrowed from Soviet-Russian nomenclature, with the “V” for “vzryvnoj (“explosive”)” for added Kontakt-1 ERA stones such as the T-55MV, T-62MV, T-64BV, and T-72BV stands and T-80BV.

https://twitter.com/oryxspioenkop/status/1675109219681411075

It looks like this particular Leopard tank was of Canadian origin. Canada has sent eight of the tanks to support Ukraine’s war effort.

https://twitter.com/ronkainen7k15/status/1675121925008531460?s=20

In general, ERA is an attempt to defend against penetrating anti-tank munitions such as high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shells and armor-piercing shells by detonating on impact before the shell hits the tank’s hull. The counterattack effect can interrupt the weapon’s effect or completely destroy it.

The Leopard 2 already has strong protection from its tread to turret armor scheme. The Contact Stones, an increasingly common “Mad Max” accessory in armored vehicles on both sides, can potentially increase protection against ubiquitous threats such as anti-tank missiles and melee weapons like rocket-propelled grenades.

At the other end of the spectrum, we’ve written about Russian attack helicopters using long-range anti-tank missiles to engage advancing Ukrainian columns. In this scenario, surviving the initial attack from an often invisible enemy at long range can mean the difference between taking cover or exiting the vehicle.

The story goes on

https://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1672577503452446724

The fact that Ukraine is already modifying their donated high-end western armor is telling. Learning the hard way, with the loss of irreplaceable staff and hard-to-find equipment, leads to rapid innovation. Adding ERA to Leopard tanks is clearly part of this development. And it’s not that ERA isn’t used with NATO countries either. It seems that Ukraine thinks the extra protection it could offer is a worthwhile trade-off given the extra weight and other considerations involved.

And of course, it’s always fascinating to see advanced NATO equipment being modified with capabilities developed and deployed by the enemy it was intended to deter and potentially combat, and vice versa. These practices have become an increasingly important part of war.

It will be interesting to see if the use of the Contact Stones for Ukrainian Leopard 2 and other western-supplied armor becomes a standard issue in the course of Ukraine’s counter-offensive.

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez traveled to Kiev on Saturday to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy and pledge the European Union’s support to him.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez traveled to Kiev for the first day of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union. This “highly symbolic” visit was welcomed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who continues to advocate rapprochement with Western countries and asks to be invited to the next NATO summit while the Ukrainian army continues its counter-offensive. Here’s what you’ll remember from that day.

According to the US, Kiev troops cover “500, 1,000, 2,000 meters a day”.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley said Ukraine’s counteroffensive was “progressing more slowly than predicted.” Still, the Ukrainian army is making “continuous advances” “500, 1,000, 2,000 meters a day,” he continued.

Ukraine said on Saturday it was waging “relentless” fighting as part of a counteroffensive that began about a month ago but has yet to make a decisive breakthrough. The Ukrainian army is hampered by a lack of armaments and artillery, according to its commander-in-chief Valery Zalouzhny in an interview published by The Washington Post on Friday.

A “highly symbolic” visit by the Spanish Prime Minister

Pedro Sanchez reiterated the support of the EU in Kiev. “From the European Union’s perspective on Ukraine’s accession, my presence on the first day of this six-month presidency (…) demonstrates a clear and unequivocal political commitment on the part of the Community institutions,” assured the head of the Spanish government during a joint press conference with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Thank you for your important visit and your support for our people!” the Ukrainian president replied on Twitter, welcoming a “highly symbolic” visit. However, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that “some” Western partners are “sluggish” in training Ukrainian airmen to fly fighter jets. “Do you have any idea when Ukraine can get F-16s?” he asked at the joint press conference. “There is no schedule for training missions.”

All eyes are on the next NATO summit

“We need a very clear and understandable signal at the Vilnius summit that Ukraine can become a full member of NATO after the war,” stressed the Ukrainian President at the same press conference. The next NATO summit is scheduled for July 11-12 in the capital of Lithuania. “This invitation to the alliance is the first step, very concrete, which would be very important for us.”

In a joint press release issued after this press conference, Spain supports “the strengthening of the NATO-Ukraine partnership, including the creation of a NATO-Ukraine Council”.

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