Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Fuel Plant Using UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the main providers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions 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 very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, meetings, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

In a parallel domestic matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

The charges are said to be based on an article Udaltsov shared backing another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as politically motivated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Case

Russian authorities indicated it is engaged with French officials regarding the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

A spokesperson stated 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 state resources mobilised to provide consular support and push for his liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” 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 property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.