Kyiv Strikes Russian Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military command.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts observed at the location. This represents not the first instance where Ukraine has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles against objectives on Russian territory.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main providers of fuel products in southern Russia and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive discussions with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to move toward real peace closer, and it involves approaches, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a Russian court has found guilty 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 published backing another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Case

The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French officials concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of espionage.

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

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a wider Moscow effort to showcase its administration in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from local residents.

It is due to reopen 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.