Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Oil Refinery Using British Storm Shadow Missiles.
In a significant military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used long-range Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. This strike occurred on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military command.
Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact
The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was reportedly hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This represents another instance where Ukraine has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian territory.
Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the primary providers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.
Political Discussions on the Conflict
In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, namely Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on potential pathways to end the war.
“We had a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a social media platform. “There are some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”
Legal Crackdown Inside the Country
In a parallel domestic matter, a Russian court has found guilty a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the opposition movement, was given to six years in a penal colony.
This case reportedly stem from an online post Udaltsov published backing another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in protest.
Foreign Prisoner Case
Russian authorities indicated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a three-year sentence in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of spying.
A spokesperson said 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 stated he is closely following the situation, with all state resources mobilised to offer assistance and push for his liberation as soon as possible.
Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol
A theatre in Mariupol, which was leveled in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its basement, is set to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have heralded the rebuilding as a symbol of recovery.
However, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the planned opening as “a macabre spectacle.” The reconstruction is part of a broader Moscow effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and property seizures from Ukrainian citizens.
The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.
