Kyiv Strikes Moscow's Oil Refinery With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

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

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian soil.

Military spokespersons noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on potential pathways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to move toward real peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

The charges reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov published backing another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

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

An official stated that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all government services mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have called the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a broader Kremlin effort to present its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets 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.