Kyiv Strikes Russian Oil Refinery With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

As part of a notable escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the site. This represents not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives on Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the main suppliers of fuel products in southern Russia and is actively engaged in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

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

This case reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is engaged with French officials concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.

A spokesperson stated 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 stated he is closely following the situation, with all state resources mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to present its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

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