Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. The attack was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian soil.

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

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

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

“We had a very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to move toward real peace closer, and it concerns approaches, meetings, and, of course, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

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

This case reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Case

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

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all state resources working to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians sought refuge in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to showcase its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

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