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

In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian territory.

Military spokespersons noted that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the primary suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged 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” discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation 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 social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

In a parallel domestic matter, a court in Russia has found guilty 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 prison.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Case

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French authorities concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official said that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is closely following the situation, with all state resources mobilised to provide consular support and push for his liberation 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 sought refuge in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

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