Kyiv Strikes Russian Oil Refinery With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Strategic Impact

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

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

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, 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 possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“We had 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 bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves approaches, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a domestic 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 opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

This case reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Case

Russian authorities indicated it is engaged with French authorities concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of espionage.

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his release as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is expected to open by the month's end with a performance of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt largely anew over the past two years.