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

In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the location. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives on Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the main providers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to end the war.

“It was a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

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

The charges are said to be based on an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Situation

Russian authorities indicated it is engaged with French authorities regarding the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official said that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all state resources mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his release as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is set to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

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