Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

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

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the primary providers of petrol products in Russia's south and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to end the war.

“We had a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a 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.

This case are said to be based on an article Udaltsov published in support of another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is engaged with French authorities regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of espionage.

An official stated that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following 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

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a wider Moscow effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

It is expected to open by the end of the month with a show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction largely anew over the last 24 months.