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 major Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian 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 location. This marks not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the primary providers of fuel products in southern Russia and is directly involved in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” talks with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on possible ways to end the war.

“It was a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it involves approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the schedule.”

Judicial Proceedings Inside the Country

In a parallel internal matter, a Russian court 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 prison.

The charges are said to be based on an article Udaltsov published backing another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Case

The Kremlin indicated it is engaged with French officials regarding the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of espionage.

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and advocate for his release as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

However, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening 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 arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from local residents.

It is expected to open by the end of the month with a performance of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the past two years.