Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Fuel Plant With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts observed at the location. This represents not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives inside 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 actively engaged in supplying 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, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on possible ways to end the war.

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to move toward real peace closer, and it concerns formats, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a Russian court has convicted a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

This case 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 allegations as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Case

Russian authorities indicated it is in contact with French authorities regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of spying.

An official stated that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is closely following the situation, with all government services mobilised to offer assistance and push for his liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

It is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt largely anew over the past two years.