If you are citizen of the Commonwealth, Happy Coronation Day, or if you're a Republican, just enjoy the weekend😅
This is the daily thread for Saturday with all the news in one thread, updated throughout the day.
Let's start in occupied #Crimea, where chat sites make pleasant reading this morning:
08:04 "A loud bang was heard in the #Krasnogvardeyskoye district"
08:05 "a good roar sounded. Dzhankoy-Krasnogvardeyskoye"
08:05 "strong 'cotton' in Krasnogvardeyskoye."
Here's what was seen
#Russia's Occupiers on #Crimea insist air defence worked in the north of Crimea "there were no casualties or destruction"
Oh but then the Kerch Bridge was unexpectedly closed. Guards told these people "threat of an attack" but later authorities say it's "for technical reasons"🤡
I must admit I was quite surprised to be greeted with home pages like this as I scoured #Ukraine's media this morning!
Live coverage from London in text and video...
One reason #Ukraine has found a new, and deep affection, for Britain is of course its unequivocal support from Day 1 of the war.
As a Brit I was really touched by #Kyiv's Ministry of Defence's Official "thank you" video to the #UK for this special day #LondonCalling#Coronation
Daily losses time!
Again, incredibly high numbers of #Russia's artillery systems and vehicles/fuel tanks were taken out in the last 24 hours*
Plus another 560 burials to arrange back in the Terrorist State.
Local Telegram channels in #Zaporizhzhia report another massive hit on #Russia's troops.
They say in the village of #Novovolodymyrivka, north of #Melitopol', #Ukraine scouts found their base near the pumping station and it was obliterated yesterday afternoon with many dead.
Yesterday I wrote about #Ukraine for the first time bringing down #Russia's "Kinzhal" missile.
Ukraine later denied this. But today they admit it is true. The US Patriot system managed to hit the much-vaunted hypersonic rocket.
I didn't know about this case, but the persecution of Crimean Tatars has never stopped.
Once again Putin treads in the footsteps of the great ogre and tyrant Stalin.
#Wagner chief mercenary Prigozhin has today stated that he is in touch with Chechnya's Putin lick-spittle, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Yesterday after Progozhin published his video saying they will retreat from #Bakhmut, the Chechen "leader" pledged to send his men to the meat grinder.
1/2 News that one of #Russia's relatively big figures in the war is critically ill after an assassination attempt.
Zakhar Prilepin's audi was blown up in #NizhnyNovgorod, a large city 400km east of #Moscow. His driver was killed - a huge crater is reported to have been left..
2/2 Prilepin is regarded by many as an anti-semite, is friends and related by marriage to Putin's "grey cardinal" Surkov.
He even had a battalion named after him when he fought in #Donetsk. Thereafter he became a writer and propagandist.
Police now check many cars in the area:
3/
A little more on Prilepin, as the first video from the scene has been published, showing the huge crater and the wreckage.
Some write he lost both legs, but it seems more likely both are broken but may be salvageable. Other injuries not known yet, he was flown by helicopter.
In a statement on its' Telegram channel, the ATESH movement seems to have claimed responsibility for blowing up Zakhar Prilepin. Here's a translation of its post:
Thank you @Claws_se for buying me my first coffees of the day via the link in my bio.
Very much appreciated💙💛
The #Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been "switched off"
#Russia's "director" of the plant Yuri Chernichuk give not give a specific reason but said "ZNPP is serviced in accordance with all necessary regulations"
Yesterday the Occupiers began to evacuate #Enerhodar.
Prilepin's driver/guard, who died in the assassination attempt has been named.
Aleksandr Shubin fought for the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic", where he presumably met Prilepin.
#Russia announces another prisoner exchange - yet to be confirmed by #Ukraine.
TASS -
"On 6 May, as a result of a complex negotiation process, three Russian military personnel, pilots of the Russian Aerospace Forces, who were in mortal danger in captivity, were returned."
Among all the bans being introduced in #Russia, perhaps this is the strangest:
#StPetersburg has announced use of jet skis is forbidden from 7-10 May.
#Russia is rpeorted to have already made an arrest following the car bomb attack on Prilepin.
TASS reports the detention happened near the village of #Pionersky, where the Audi was blown up.
Meanwhile the life of the 'writer' himself is not said to be in danger.
The latest genius design from #Russia is a "birdhouse" for a tank!
The Russian MoD says "The design creates a kind of canopy over the roof of the tower, where the armour is thin, covering it from attacks from above."
On the other hand, a bigger target🤣
#Ukraine gives details of what it achieved in the prisoner swap.
45 Ukrainians came home today, including 3 from Azovstal. In total 10 Officers and one soldier who had previously been in Russian captivity for 2.5 years.
There continuing to be so many fires raging in #Sverdlosk region. Many villages remain at risk.
A local channel made a montage of some of the apolocalyptic scenes.
This is the entrance to #Volgograd.
Except the sign says "Stalingrad" - renamed for the weekend. But the symbolism is not lost.
Even a decade ago there would have been a huge protest against this, but now #Putin's hero's reputation is restored, no longer a tyrant.
#Crimea has been assuring immigrant Russians that air defence has worked again.
Possible, but locals say two loud sounds were heard and big craters appear by Cossack Bay near #Sevastopol.
#Ukraine's state energy company denies #Russia's earlier statement about a complete shutdown of the #Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Enerhoatom says "The statements of pro-Russian propaganda are not true" but adds it consumes electricity from Ukraine for its own needs.
#Russia's already publishing videos of the suspect admitting to the car bomb attack on extremist Prilepin
Some media report Aleksandr Permyakov is a Ukrainian who recently took Russian citizenship.
Of course he says he acted on the instructions of the Ukraine's special services.
Tragedy in #Kherson region where six demining experts have been killed by #Russia's shelling.
The employees of the State Emergency Service came under fire near the city. Two more people, including a female paramedic were injured.
1/2 Extraordinary scenes and incompetence in #Russia's #Sverdlovsk region again.
Gunpowder stores have ignited as the wildfires continue to spread..
The village of #Pervomaisky is the latest to be evacuated.
2/2
Another scary video from the same area of #Sverdlovsk. 18 more warehouses of gunpowder are threatened - could be fun!
Back in January, one person died and 6 people were injured in an explosion at the Gefest-M enterprise there, which owns the gunpowder stores. #RussiaonFire
In #Enerhodar locals report the local hospital is being evacuated.
Welcome to another daily thread covering all the important things happening in Ukraine right now, and therefore by (unwanted association) Russia too.
All things fact checked, analysed and explained.
The news you can rely on, every day, in one place.
It's Day 1361. I'm late!⏰
Well I had a lovely lie-in as, all things considered it was a relatively news-free morning
My "bitter enders" (those who make it through to the very end of the🧵) will know there was a big attack on Dnipro which kept me reporting late.
Missed it? click⬇️
One thing I've had to do is wade through Trump's interview on GB News. It's actually been worthwhile because it's a wonderful example I can use to train what NOT to do!
Main points being:
1'48" to ask a question is dreadful
Such simpering loses all credibility before you begin
The first few hours of Day 1360 of Russia's genocidal war started with Ukrainians in shelters. More innocent lives have been claimed by the Moscow horde.
The west unable or unwilling to stop the slaughter despite 1000s of war crimes.
We're not incapable, must not be unwilling.
One of the heaviest bombardments Kyiv has ever known dominated y'day's thread and the start of today's.
But Ukraine also continues to pick-off financial targets inside Russia
It all made for one of the longest🧵 so far - the least you can do is read it!
Hello again, thanks for visiting my Ukraine thread on Day 1353
Views/likes are down on both sites I post on: possible war fatigue
It's exactly what Putin wants from the world - to wear us down so we accept a deal to stop the killing
This will embolden Putin & hasten war v NATO
Here's the link for Thursday's thread.
It was a day which saw Ukraine inflict a fair amount of damage on Russia's energy sector and the crisis is nearing for Putin as it cannot export oil.
The energy crisis for Ukraine is about people surviving winter:
Welcome to November, which becomes the 46th different month to see fighting in Ukraine
And yet Russia is nowhere near its aim of Kyiv in 3 days.
Indeed 1,344 days behind schedule as we start today's thread on Day 1347 of the full invasion
Please think about sending a KoFi💙💛
Friday saw a lot of damage in Russia, an attempted counter-attack in Pokrovsk, Trump blank Orbán, power cuts in Moscow and so much more.
Clicking here⬇️will take you to the start of yesterday's🧵. Scroll through, catch-up then remember to come back here
Hello again, on Day 1346 of the war.
Russia's genocidal war, that's both the intent and the reality as Ukraine fights to keep not only democracy, independence and freedom but also to avoid its culture and language being eradicated.
This is THE daily thread. Happy Hallowe'en
Due to various different events, I am still awake & instead of adding to y'day's thread, I thought it best to start a new one, then get some sleep.
First, the link for Thursday's🧵which started with Russia's mass missile attack but ended with🇺🇦 attacking