Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military command.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the location. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit targets inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the main suppliers of fuel products in southern Russia and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

In a related development, 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 potential pathways to end the war.

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to move toward real peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared backing another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Case

Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

A spokesperson said 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 liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a broader Kremlin effort to showcase its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the month's end with a performance of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the last 24 months.