Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Oil Refinery With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil processing facility. The attack was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the location. This represents another instance where Ukraine has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian soil.

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

Political Discussions on the War Front

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a really good conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it involves approaches, meetings, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

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

This case reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.

A spokesperson stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to offer assistance and push for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to reopen. Authorities in control have heralded the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

However, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Moscow effort to showcase its administration in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics 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, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.