Kyiv Strikes Moscow's Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles against objectives on Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main providers of petrol products in southern Russia and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on potential pathways to end the war.

“We had a very productive conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

This case reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of espionage.

A spokesperson stated that Russia has made an offer to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his release as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding as a symbol of recovery.

However, former actors from the theatre have called the reopening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

It is expected to open by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the last 24 months.