Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Oil Refinery Using UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.
As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. The attack was carried out Thursday, as stated by the country's military command.
Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact
The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives on Russian soil.
Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the main suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.
Political Discussions on the Conflict
Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on potential pathways to end the war.
“It was a very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, of course, the schedule.”
Legal Crackdown Inside the Country
Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a 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 are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.
Foreign Prisoner Situation
Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of spying.
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 stated he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his release at the earliest opportunity.
Controversial Reopening in Mariupol
The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is set to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a symbol of recovery.
However, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to showcase its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from local residents.
The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the last 24 months.
