Kyiv Strikes Russian Fuel Plant With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

As part of a notable military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a major Russian oil processing facility. The attack was carried out Thursday, as stated by the country's military command.

Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts observed at the location. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit targets inside Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant serves as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in southern Russia and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive discussions with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to end the war.

“It was a very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring real peace closer, and it involves formats, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

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

This case are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov published backing another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Situation

The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French officials regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of spying.

An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding 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 Occupied City

A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is scheduled to open its doors again. Authorities in control have heralded the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.

Conversely, former actors from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to present its administration in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and property seizures from local residents.

The theatre is expected to open by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.