Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Refinery With British Storm Shadow Missiles

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Ukraine used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike a Russian oil refinery, while diplomatic exchanges and political developments on both sides underscored the complexity of efforts to address the war, according to reporting by The Guardian and The Times.

The Guardian reported on Friday that Ukraine’s military said it had targeted the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia with Storm Shadow missiles, recording “numerous explosions” at the site.

The Ukrainian armed forces’ general staff said in a social media post that the refinery was one of the main suppliers of petrol products in southern Russia and was “directly involved in supplying the Russian Federation’s armed forces.” The report noted that Ukraine has previously used the British missiles to strike targets inside Russia.

The strike came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described what he called “very good” talks with envoys linked to U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to The Guardian, Zelenskyy said on Telegram that he had held detailed discussions with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on possible ways to end the war. He said the conversation included “many details” and “good ideas,” including proposals related to formats, meetings, and timelines aimed at bringing peace closer.

Zelenskyy’s comments followed remarks he made a day earlier indicating that Ukraine had secured limited concessions in the latest version of a U.S.-led draft peace plan, which he said was under review by Moscow. The Guardian reported that the Ukrainian president framed these developments as incremental progress rather than a breakthrough.

The Guardian also reported on domestic political developments in Russia, including the conviction of Sergei Udaltsov, a pro-war activist who is also a critic of President Vladimir Putin.

A Russian court sentenced Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement affiliated with the Communist Party, to six years in prison on charges of justifying terrorism.

According to the independent Russian outlet Mediazona, cited by The Guardian, the charges stemmed from an online article in which Udaltsov expressed support for another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organization.

Those activists were convicted earlier this month and received sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years.

Udaltsov rejected the charges as fabricated and denounced the verdict as “shameful,” according to Mediazona. The Guardian reported that he said he would begin a hunger strike in protest.

Another issue highlighted by The Guardian involved the case of a French political scholar imprisoned in Russia. The Kremlin said it was in contact with French authorities regarding Laurent Vinatier, who is serving a three-year sentence and reportedly facing new espionage charges.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had made an offer to France and that “the ball is now in France’s court,” without providing further details. French President Emmanuel Macron is following the case closely, according to a statement from his office, while France’s foreign ministry said it was fully mobilized to provide consular support and seek Vinatier’s release.

The Guardian also reported on developments in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, where the Mariupol Drama Theatre, destroyed in a 2022 airstrike while civilians were sheltering inside, is set to reopen.

Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal. Former actors associated with the theatre, however, criticized the reopening as “dancing on bones.”

The report noted that the theatre is expected to reopen by the end of the month with a performance of the Russian fairytale The Scarlet Flower, following a reconstruction effort that effectively rebuilt the structure from scratch over two years.

Parallel reporting by The Times focused on political rhetoric and diplomatic maneuvering surrounding proposed peace efforts.

The Times reported that President Putin sent President Trump a Christmas message, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, hours after President Zelensky appeared to wish death upon the Russian leader in a Christmas Eve address.

Zelensky said in his speech, “Today we all share one dream. And we make one wish — for all of us: ‘May he perish,’” a remark widely understood, according to The Times, as a reference to Putin.

The Times reported that while Putin sent Trump a congratulatory message, the two leaders were not expected to speak on Christmas Day.

The paper also detailed elements of an updated 20-point plan agreed by Ukrainian and U.S. officials and sent to Moscow. According to The Times, the proposal includes freezing combat along current lines, Ukraine holding elections, and Kyiv retaining its bid to join NATO.

Zelensky said he expected a Russian response by Wednesday evening, but the Kremlin said on Thursday it was still analyzing the documents. Peskov said Putin had been briefed on the proposals but declined to elaborate on Moscow’s reaction.

Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, told reporters that negotiations with the United States were making “slow but steady progress,” while alleging that western European powers were attempting to undermine the process.

The Times reported that Zelensky outlined key points of the plan during a briefing with journalists, including provisions concerning troop deployment lines in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.

He said these lines would be recognized as the de facto line of contact at the time of an agreement. A working group would then determine force redeployments necessary to end the conflict and define parameters for potential future special economic zones.

Zelensky described territorial issues as “the most difficult point” in the negotiations and said they would require discussion at the level of national leaders. He added that establishing such zones would need special approval by Ukraine’s parliament or a referendum.

Kyiv has not published the draft document, but Zelensky provided a point-by-point description of its contents, including a provision stating that Ukraine would hold a presidential election as soon as possible after signing a deal.

The Times also reported that the proposal would be supplemented by additional bilateral agreements between the United States and Ukraine on security and reconstruction.

One element of the draft would see the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant jointly operated by Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, a measure Zelensky said sounded “very inappropriate and not entirely realistic” from Kyiv’s perspective.

The plan does not require Ukraine to renounce joining NATO, reversing an earlier U.S.-drafted proposal that would have required a legal commitment not to join the alliance.

Zelensky said Ukraine had moved away from proposed constitutional changes that would have barred NATO membership, while the plan also includes a route to European Union membership, access to European markets, and the creation of a Ukraine development fund.

According to The Times, U.S. companies would jointly invest with Ukraine in the recovery and modernization of the country’s gas infrastructure.

The Times reported that these diplomatic efforts come as fighting continues on the ground. Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the eastern town of Siversk, with the military citing the need to preserve soldiers’ lives amid a significant Russian manpower advantage.

Russian investigators also reported a deadly explosion in Moscow that killed three people, including two police officers, in an incident they said Ukraine may have been behind.

Together, the reports from The Guardian and The Times depict a conflict marked by ongoing military action, internal political developments, and cautious diplomatic engagement, with both sides signaling positions while hostilities persist.