Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military command.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the location. This marks not the first instance where Ukraine has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

“We had a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

The charges are said to be based on an article Udaltsov published backing another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Case

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

A spokesperson said that Russia has made an offer 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 working to offer assistance and push for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening 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 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 “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and property seizures from local residents.

It is expected to open by the month's end with a performance of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt largely anew over the last 24 months.