Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.
As part of a notable escalation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. The attack was carried out Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.
Attack Particulars and Military Significance
The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian territory.
Military spokespersons noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the primary suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.
Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict
Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” talks with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on potential pathways to end the war.
“It was a very productive conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to bring real peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.”
Legal Crackdown Inside the Country
Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.
The charges reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov published backing another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in defiance.
Foreign Prisoner Case
The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French authorities regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of spying.
A spokesperson said that Russia has presented a proposal 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 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 destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.
Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to present its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.
It is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the last 24 months.