Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery With UK-supplied Storm Shadow 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 authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

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 utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles against targets on 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 directly involved in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a court in Russia has convicted a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared backing another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

The Kremlin has stated it is in contact with French authorities regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official said that Russia has made an offer 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 working to offer assistance and push for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Moscow effort to showcase its administration in seized territories, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

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