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

In a significant military action, Kyiv's forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil refinery. The attack was carried out Thursday, as stated by the country's military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the location. This marks not the first instance where Ukraine has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles against targets on Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in southern Russia 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 productive discussions with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered 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. “There are some fresh concepts on how to move toward real peace closer, and it involves formats, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

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

This case are said to be based on an article Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Case

Russian authorities indicated it is in contact with French officials regarding the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

A spokesperson said 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 confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all government services mobilised to offer assistance and push for his liberation as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled 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 symbol of recovery.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Moscow effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and property seizures from local residents.

It is due to reopen by the end of the month with a show of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt largely anew over the last 24 months.