Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Oil Refinery Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the site. This represents not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives inside Russian territory.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary providers of fuel products in southern Russia and is actively engaged in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives 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 really good conversation: numerous specifics, 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 concerns approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

In a parallel domestic matter, a Russian court has convicted a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.

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

Foreign Prisoner Case

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

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

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to open its doors again. Authorities in control have heralded the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its administration in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

It is due to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the last 24 months.