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

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukraine has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles against objectives inside Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main providers of fuel products in southern Russia and is actively engaged in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, potential summits, and, of course, the schedule.”

Judicial Proceedings Inside the Country

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

The charges reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov published backing another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French officials concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

A spokesperson stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources working to offer assistance and advocate for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment 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.

However, previous staff from the theatre have called the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the month's end with a show of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the last 24 months.