🔗 Share this article Kyiv Strikes Moscow's Fuel Plant Using British Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles. In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities. Attack Particulars and Military Significance The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian territory. Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the main suppliers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation. Political Discussions on the Conflict In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on potential pathways to end the war. “We had a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.” Legal Crackdown Within Russia Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a 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. This case reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest. Foreign Prisoner Case Russian authorities has stated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of espionage. An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services mobilised to provide consular support and push for his liberation as soon as possible. Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal. Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes 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 show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.
In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces have employed British-made Storm Shadow missiles to target and hit a key Russian oil processing facility. This strike was carried out Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military authorities. Attack Particulars and Military Significance The targeted facility, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts recorded at the location. This represents another instance where Ukrainian forces has deployed these powerful British-supplied missiles to hit targets on Russian territory. Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the main suppliers of petrol products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in providing for the armed forces of the Russian Federation. Political Discussions on the Conflict In a related development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held “very good” discussions with representatives of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on potential pathways to end the war. “We had a really good conversation: many details, constructive proposals, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “We explored some new ideas on how to bring a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, certainly, the schedule.” Legal Crackdown Within Russia Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a court in Russia has found guilty a 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. This case reportedly stem from an article Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists accused of forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the charges as fabricated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to begin a hunger strike in protest. Foreign Prisoner Case Russian authorities has stated it is engaged with French officials concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a prison term in Russia and reportedly facing additional accusations of espionage. An official said that Russia has presented a proposal to France in the case of Vinatier, and now “the ball is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is monitoring the situation, with all government services mobilised to provide consular support and push for his liberation as soon as possible. Symbolic Reconstruction in Mariupol The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while many civilians were sheltering in its basement, is set to reopen. Authorities in control have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal. Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the reopening as “dancing on bones.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process that includes 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 show of a Russian fairytale, following its reconstruction almost from scratch over the past two years.