Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Oil Refinery With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Strategic Impact

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukraine has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the main providers of petrol products in southern Russia and is directly involved in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on potential pathways to end the war.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to move toward real peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

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

The charges are said to be based on an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Case

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French authorities regarding the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

A spokesperson stated 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 state resources mobilised to offer assistance and push for his liberation as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is set to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have called the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

It is due to reopen by the end of the month with a show of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt largely anew over the last 24 months.