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

In a significant military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This represents not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against targets inside Russian territory.

Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the primary providers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.

This case are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French officials concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly 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.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services mobilised to offer assistance and advocate for his release at the earliest opportunity.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction 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 property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the last 24 months.