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

As part of a notable escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil processing facility. The attack was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

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

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the primary providers of petrol products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments 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, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

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 Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov published backing another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Case

Russian authorities indicated it is engaged with French officials regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the rebuilding as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a show of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt largely anew over the last 24 months.