Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Fuel Plant Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.
In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a key Russian oil refinery. This strike was carried out Thursday, as stated by the Ukrainian military command.
Attack Particulars and Military Significance
The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" observed at the site. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit objectives on Russian soil.
Ukrainian officials noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the primary suppliers of petrol products in southern Russia and is actively engaged in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
Diplomatic Developments on the War Front
In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on possible ways to end the war.
“It was a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to bring real peace closer, and it concerns formats, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”
Judicial Proceedings Within Russia
Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a pro-war activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.
This case reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in protest.
Foreign Prisoner Case
Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the fate of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of spying.
A spokesperson said that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.
Controversial Reopening in Occupied City
The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.
Conversely, former actors from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its administration in seized territories, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.
It is due to reopen by the month's end with a show of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the last 24 months.