Kyiv Strikes Moscow's Fuel Plant Using UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles against targets inside Russian territory.

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

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

“We had a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

In a parallel domestic matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was given to six years in prison.

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

Foreign Prisoner Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French officials regarding the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of spying.

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all government services working to offer assistance and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is scheduled to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

It is expected to open by the end of the month with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.