Kyiv Strikes Russian Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts observed at the location. This represents another instance where Ukraine has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets inside Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the main providers of petrol products in southern Russia and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive discussions with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on potential pathways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

This case are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Case

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently 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.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all state resources mobilised to offer assistance and push for his release as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have heralded the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, 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 occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.