Kyiv Strikes Russian Fuel Plant With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the location. This marks another instance where Ukraine has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles against targets on Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the primary suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

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

“We had a very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to move toward real peace closer, and it involves approaches, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was given to six years in prison.

The charges are said to be based on an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

The Kremlin has stated it is engaged with French officials concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to offer assistance and push for his release as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Moscow effort to present its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

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