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

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives on Russian territory.

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

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” talks with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“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 bring real peace closer, and it involves approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

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

The charges are said to be based on an article Udaltsov published backing another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French authorities regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

A spokesperson stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to offer assistance and advocate for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

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

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.