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

As part of a notable escalation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil processing facility. The attack was carried out Thursday, as stated by the country's military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Military Significance

The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukraine has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian soil.

Ukrainian officials emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the primary suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in providing for the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the War Front

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks centered on potential pathways to bring the conflict to a close.

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

Judicial Proceedings Within Russia

Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a court in Russia 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 given to six years in a penal colony.

The charges reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov published backing another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as fabricated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Case

The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French officials regarding the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing new charges of espionage.

An official said that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is closely following the situation, with all state resources working to offer assistance and push for his release as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

However, previous staff from the theatre have called the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project 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 confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

The theatre is due to reopen by the month's end with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the last 24 months.