Kyiv Strikes Moscow's Oil Refinery Using UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the location. This represents not the first instance where Ukraine has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives inside Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility serves as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

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

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “We explored some fresh concepts on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, after the sentencing, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Case

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

An official said that Russia has made an offer to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is closely following 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 leveled in a devastating bombardment while many civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding as a symbol of recovery.

However, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to showcase its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a performance of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.