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

In a significant military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This marks not the first instance where Ukraine has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the main suppliers of petrol products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on potential pathways to end the war.

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Judicial Proceedings Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement, was given to six years in prison.

The charges reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official 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 stated he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources working to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to present its administration in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

It is expected to open by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.