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

In a significant military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets inside Russian territory.

Military spokespersons noted that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the primary providers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

In a related development, 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.

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as politically motivated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French officials regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all state resources working to offer assistance and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment 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 symbol of recovery.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to present its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the last 24 months.