Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This represents another instance where Ukraine has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the main providers of fuel products in southern Russia and is directly involved 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 “very good” talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“We had a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves approaches, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the opposition 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 accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

Russian authorities indicated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all state resources mobilised to offer assistance and push for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is set to open its doors again. Authorities in control have heralded the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

The theatre is due to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction largely anew over the last 24 months.