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

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This marks another instance where Ukraine has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles against targets on Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the main providers of petrol products in southern Russia and is actively engaged in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to end the war.

“We had a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, potential summits, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

In a parallel internal matter, a Russian court has convicted a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

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

Foreign Prisoner Case

Russian authorities indicated it is in contact with French officials concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official stated 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 state resources 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 open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to present its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

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