Kyiv Strikes Russian Fuel Plant With British Storm Shadow Missiles.
As part of a notable escalation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military command.
Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact
The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts observed at the location. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian territory.
Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the primary suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
Political Discussions on the Conflict
Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.
“We had a really good conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, of course, the schedule.”
Legal Crackdown Within Russia
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, 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 published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in defiance.
Foreign Prisoner Case
Russian authorities indicated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of espionage.
An official stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all state resources 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 destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.
Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a broader Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.
The theatre is due to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt largely anew over the past two years.
