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

As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This marks another instance where Ukraine has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles against targets inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the main suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on possible ways to end the war.

“It was a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it involves approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.

This case reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov published backing another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Situation

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

An official said that Russia has made an offer to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all government services mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the rebuilding as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to showcase its administration in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

It is due to reopen by the end of the month with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.