Kyiv Strikes Moscow's Fuel Plant Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. The attack was carried out Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main providers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“We had a really good conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, meetings, and, of course, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a Russian court has convicted a activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

The charges reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as fabricated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

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

A spokesperson 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 confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all state resources working to offer assistance and push for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, 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.” This project is part of a wider Moscow effort to showcase its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

It 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.