Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Fuel Plant Using UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable escalation, Kyiv's forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukraine has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives on Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the primary suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it concerns approaches, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.

The charges reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is engaged with French officials regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

A spokesperson said 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 closely following the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and advocate for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have heralded the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to present its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

It is due to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the last 24 months.