Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Fuel Plant With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles.
As part of a notable military action, Ukrainian forces have employed long-range 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 recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukraine has utilized these advanced British-supplied missiles against objectives inside Russian territory.
Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
Political Discussions on the Conflict
Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on possible ways to end the war.
“It was a very productive conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, meetings, and, certainly, the schedule.”
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 supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.
This case reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov published backing another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as fabricated and, following the verdict, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in defiance.
International Detainee Case
Russian authorities 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 additional accusations of spying.
A spokesperson stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services mobilised to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.
Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol
The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.
However, former actors from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its administration in seized territories, a process that includes the arrest or exile of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.
The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the last 24 months.