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

In a significant military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Strategic Impact

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

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

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on potential pathways to end the war.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, 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 involves approaches, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

In a parallel domestic matter, a Russian court has convicted a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition 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 charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Situation

The Kremlin has stated it is in contact with French authorities regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official said that Russia has made an offer 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 mobilised to offer assistance and push for his release as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding 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 wider Kremlin effort to showcase its administration in seized territories, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.