Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery Using UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. The attack was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility 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.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on possible ways to end the war.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to move toward real peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a Russian court has convicted a pro-war activist and critic 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 reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Situation

Russian authorities indicated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official stated that Russia has made an offer to France in the case of 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 provide consular support and push for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is set to open its doors again. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

However, former actors from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from local residents.

The theatre is due to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction largely anew over the last 24 months.