Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Fuel Plant Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant military action, Kyiv's forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike 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 oil plant, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This represents another instance where Ukraine has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against objectives inside Russian territory.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary providers of petrol products in southern Russia and is actively engaged in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Political Discussions on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” talks with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

“We had a very productive conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns formats, meetings, and, certainly, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Inside the Country

In a parallel domestic matter, a Russian court has convicted a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the opposition 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 Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in protest.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

The Kremlin has stated it is engaged with French officials regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of spying.

An official stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services mobilised to offer assistance and advocate for his release as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.

The theatre is due to reopen by the end of the month with a show of a classic Russian story, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the past two years.