Kyiv Strikes Russian Oil Refinery With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.

As part of a notable escalation, Kyiv's forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This represents another instance where Ukraine has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives on Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main suppliers of petrol products in southern Russia and is directly involved in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it involves approaches, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a Russian court has convicted a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the opposition movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.

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 group. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Case

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French officials concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official 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 monitoring the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and push for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike 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, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

It is due to reopen by the end of the month with a show of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt largely anew over the past two years.