Ukrainian Forces Hit Moscow's Fuel Plant With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.
In a significant escalation, Kyiv's forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.
Attack Particulars and Military Significance
The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the site. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives on Russian territory.
Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is directly involved in supplying the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
Political Discussions on the War Front
Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks focused on potential pathways to end the war.
“It was a very productive conversation: many details, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to move toward real peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, certainly, the timeline.”
Judicial Proceedings Within Russia
Meanwhile, in a internal matter, a Russian court has convicted a activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement, was given to six years in prison.
This case are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has rejected the charges as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to go on a hunger strike in defiance.
Foreign Prisoner Case
Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher currently serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing additional accusations of espionage.
An official stated 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 monitoring the situation, with all government services mobilised to offer assistance and push for his release as soon as possible.
Controversial Reopening in Occupied City
The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was destroyed in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians sought refuge in its cellar, is set to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a symbol of recovery.
Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a wider Kremlin effort to showcase its rule in seized territories, a process accompanied by the arrest or exile of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.
It is due to reopen by the month's end with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.