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Updated 02 February 2026 - Casualties reported across multiple regions as Moscow continues attacks despite temporary pause.
Twelve miners killed in targeted drone strike
Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, confirmed that a Russian drone attack on a worker transport bus in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region resulted in the deaths of 12 miners on Sunday. The vehicle was carrying employees after a shift in the town of Ternivka when it was hit. The company initially reported 15 fatalities but later revised the toll downward. At least 15 others sustained injuries in the assault, according to state emergency services.
Attacks persist despite temporary truce
Russia had previously agreed to suspend strikes on population centers and energy infrastructure during an extreme cold snap, though frontline regions continued to face bombardment. Cities like Kyiv have seen relative calm in recent days, but areas closer to the conflict zone remain under threat. Moscow framed the pause as a gesture to support peace negotiations scheduled for this week in Abu Dhabi, without mentioning weather conditions.
Maternity hospital hit during childbirth
In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian drone struck a maternity hospital while two women were in labor, injuring six people. Regional governor Ivan Fedorov condemned the attack as "proof of a war directed against life" in a Telegram post. BBC Verify authenticated the site as Maternity Hospital No. 3 on Bocharova Street in eastern Zaporizhzhia. Footage from local and national authorities showed shattered windows, debris-covered patient rooms, and a children's ward with fire damage. Firefighters were seen evacuating patients and breaking down doors amid ongoing flames on the first floor.
"This attack demonstrates that President Putin is waging a war against civilians in defiance of peace efforts,"
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha
Additional casualties reported across Ukraine
Separate strikes overnight and on Sunday claimed more lives. In Dnipro, a drone killed a man and a woman, while a 72-year-old man was injured in Nikopol. Kherson officials reported a 59-year-old woman critically wounded by shelling, and three others were hurt in Kharkiv. Fedorov later noted three injuries from another residential area strike in Zaporizhzhia.
Energy grid under sustained pressure
Russia intensified attacks on Ukraine's power infrastructure in January, leaving millions without heat or electricity during sub-zero temperatures. Forecasts warned of plunges below -20°C in some regions. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Putin had agreed to halt aerial assaults on cities like Kyiv during the cold snap, though the Kremlin stated the pause would end on Sunday.
Ukraine moves to block Starlink misuse
Kyiv's military, which relies on SpaceX's Starlink for internet connectivity, said it was collaborating with Elon Musk's company to prevent Russian forces from using the satellite system for drone operations. Ukrainian officials discovered Starlink terminals on long-range Russian drones earlier this week. Musk confirmed that measures to curb "unauthorized" use appeared effective, while Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov thanked him for being "a true friend of the Ukrainian people."
Peace talks rescheduled amid tensions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a second round of tripartite negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. would take place on Wednesday and Thursday, delayed from the originally planned Sunday. The talks, mediated by the U.S., have stalled over territorial disputes, with Moscow demanding Kyiv cede control of Donbas regions it currently occupies-roughly a fifth of Ukraine. Kyiv, meanwhile, seeks the return of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest. Zelensky previously suggested postponement due to escalating U.S.-Iran tensions.
