Kyiv Strikes Russian Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles against objectives inside Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary providers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” talks with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a Russian court has convicted 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 activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

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

A spokesperson said that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources mobilised to offer assistance and advocate for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the reopening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.