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

In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike occurred on Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.

Details of the Strike and Military Significance

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the site. This represents not the first instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles against targets on Russian soil.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main providers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on possible ways to bring the conflict to a close.

“It was a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a social media platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to move toward real peace closer, and it involves formats, meetings, and, of course, the schedule.”

Legal Crackdown Within Russia

In a parallel internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a activist and opponent 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 reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has rejected the allegations as fabricated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

International Detainee Case

The Kremlin has stated it is in contact with French authorities regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.

A spokesperson stated that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to offer assistance and push for his liberation as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.

However, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Kremlin effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from local residents.

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