Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Oil Refinery Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the site. This represents not the first instance where Ukraine has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the primary providers of petrol products in southern Russia and is actively engaged in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a very productive conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it concerns formats, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

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

The charges reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

A spokesperson stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is closely following the situation, with all government services mobilised to provide consular support and push for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is set to reopen. Authorities in control have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

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

It is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the past two years.