Welcome along to the daily thread for Day 440 of the war in #Ukraine
More deadly missile attacks launched in the early hours this morning by #Russia on what is supposed to be one of the sacred days in the calendar, 9 May. #Russia has no victory to celebrate.
All the news here⬇️
It was another busy day yesterday, a lot of news from the battlefields of #Ukraine and beyond too.
For a catch up on anything you missed on Monday, click and scroll down from this link:
Putin's arrived for his speech after all it seems. His ability to coerce other Heads of State from a handful of ex (still?) Soviet states provides him protection from attack - a genuine human shield.
This isn't as new, nor as near to fruition as it seems from many headlines.
In reality it's another appeal, also testing the water about sending long-range weapons to #Ukraine.
The British led International Fund posted this request over a week ago.
Nothing unexpected at the 9 May parade in #Moscow.
However, #Putin's rant was shorter than usual, saying the "world is at a turning point" and just hours after combing them saying "the people of #Ukraine had become hostages to a state coup"🤡
Also shorter the military parade🤣
1/2 #Prigozhin tries to steal the headlines again.
The #Wagner owner publishes a 27 minute video, starting with a 10-minute speech, ranting that his mercenaries have still not received shells to fight in #Bakhmut, despite saying a couple of days ago ammo had arrived.
2/2
Some sources say Prigozhin was warned leaving positions would be seen as a criminal offence - interesting as mercenaries are illegal in #Russia anyway.
So the wannabe warlord is again threatening to leave #Bakhmut, it seems unlikely, but Wagner need to send troops to Africa
It was also an uncomfortable night for the British Ambassador in #Kyiv.
#Russia protest group "Freedom of Russia" has struck one of the Kremlin's military planes.
They released this video showing an Su-24 bomber burning in #Novosibirsk. It was at the factory awaiting repair. Sorry about the music!
Happy Victory Day!! #StopRussiaNOW
Activists in #Poland make things a little awkward for #Russia's ambassador.
This display has been created near the mausoleum of Soviet soldiers, where a Russian delegation plans to lay flowers today.
The first semi final takes place in #Liverpool tonight.
The second is on Thursday.
Holders Ukraine (nominal host) and the UK get a bye to Saturday's final.
But who will win #Eurovision ?
2/3 #Ukraine's song was not the best 12 months ago but picked up many votes as everyone's second favourite.
While this year's entry by Tvorchi is also not the best in my opinion, it will do very well because of the public vote with so many refugees able to vote in other countries
3/3 Bookies reckon the clear winner of #Eurovision2023, will be #Sweden with Loreen back again.
Sweden last won in 2015 but they're odds-on to win on Saturday
#Finland's the only real opponent, expected to finish 2nd
On Saturday I'll do a Eurovision flavoured #UkraineWar thread!
Three people have been wounded, two of whom are now in hospital after an attack by #Russia on #Kupiansk this evening.
Local officials say a "civil industry facility" was hit, as well as 5 private residential buildings.
No further details yet.
The CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall says joint venture agreements with companies in #Ukraine should be signed in the "coming weeks"
This will enable Ukraine to make its own equipment with Armin Papperger saying they may manage 400 Panther type battle tanks per year.
Good. So let's get this straight - many countries think Wagner are terrorists. Yet paid for and directed by #Russia, which most countries are too afraid to say is a Terrorist State.
#Russia's losses in the last 24 hours show a marked decrease in he amount of equipment destroyed compared to the recent trend.
However, #Ukraine is killing more and more soldiers as Russians continue kamikaze tactics in #Donetsk with the one resource they have plenty of: people.
#Kyiv - at the end of yesterday's thread, just before midnight UK time, I showed video of a car on fire after drone wreckage fell on it after being shot down.
Now Mayor of the capital, @Vitaliy_Klychko has confirmed there are injuries, four in total in two different incidents.
Two of the injured in #Kyiv have been hospitalised.
Another explosion is reported in the capital now too.
Sunday is Day 438 of #Russia's catastrophic full invasion of #Ukraine
Each day you've been able to find all the news of Europe's war in one place with these daily threads.
It's all free, but if you can support what I do with a coffee I'd be very grateful ko-fi.com/twmcltd
I forgot this yesterday (thanks Dave for remembering!) so let's do this straightaway!
As I post so much, people couldn't find the start of the previous day's thread, which they found handy to review what they missed. So here's the start of Saturday's feed
#Ukraine was attacked last night. Here's a summary:
#Dnipropetrovsk region - again huge artillery fire on #Nikopol with one dead and 3 injured. #Mykolaiv region - a ballistic missile hit "an industrial enterprise" #Kyiv - a reconnaissance drone was shot down in the region.
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"🤡
The UK's daily intel report inspects the rails of #Russia after the spate of sabotage attacks recently. These attacks far more believable than the pantomime drone strike on the Kremlin.
Some breaking news, we are learning about repeated explosions in #Zaporizhzhia this morning.
S-300 anti aircraft missiles again being used by #Russia to attack civilians, but monitoring groups say one exploded just after launch, before it crossed the frontline.
It's noisy.
The weather has improved in #Ukraine. But though the ground may be drying out a little on the frontline, conditions are still incredibly tough.