Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery Using British Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

As part of a notable escalation, Kyiv's forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military command.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main suppliers of petrol products in southern Russia and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“We had a very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to bring real peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a Russian court has found guilty a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

The charges reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov shared backing another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Case

The Kremlin has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and push for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to showcase its administration in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the last 24 months.