Kyiv Strikes Moscow's Oil Refinery With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This represents not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets inside Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary providers of fuel products in southern Russia and is directly involved in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive discussions with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on potential pathways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

In a parallel domestic matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared backing another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Situation

The Kremlin has stated it is engaged with French officials 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 said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is monitoring the situation, with all government services mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its administration in seized territories, a process that includes the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from local residents.

It is due to reopen by the month's end with a performance of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.