Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant military action, Kyiv's forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil processing facility. The attack was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the location. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives on Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the main providers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it involves approaches, meetings, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a internal 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 sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

The charges reportedly stem from an article 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 protest.

Foreign Prisoner Case

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

A spokesperson said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to offer assistance and push for his liberation as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a devastating bombardment while many civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is set to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

It is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the last 24 months.