Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Oil Refinery With British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil processing facility. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military command.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the location. This marks another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the main suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the War Front

In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.

The charges reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as fabricated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest.

International Detainee Situation

The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official said 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 offer assistance and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Controversial Reopening in Mariupol

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

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a wider Moscow effort to showcase its administration in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.