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

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles against targets inside Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary providers of petrol products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, of course, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

This case are said to be based on an article Udaltsov shared backing another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Case

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.

A spokesperson said that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and push for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians sought refuge in its basement, is scheduled to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the reopening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a wider Moscow effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

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