Kyiv Strikes Russian Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key 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 "numerous explosions" recorded at the location. This represents not the first instance where Ukraine has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the main providers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered 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 a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

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

The charges reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov shared backing another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

The Kremlin has stated it is engaged with French authorities regarding the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

A spokesperson stated that Russia has made an offer to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a show of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt largely anew over the last 24 months.