Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery With British Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military command.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This represents not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives on Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in southern Russia and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on potential pathways to end the war.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the opposition movement, was given to six years in prison.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as politically motivated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.

A spokesperson said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt largely anew over the past two years.