Ukraine war latest live: 7 dead, 8 injured as Russia strikes Donetsk Oblast city market with cluster munitions
Today's Ukraine War Latest live is brought to you by Francis Farrell in Kharkiv and Jared Goyette in Kyiv, both cities where temperatures plunged below -20 degrees Celsius overnight, as Russia's campaign against electricity and heating infrastructure continues.
Today's top story so far:
Russian forces attacked the city of Druzhkivka in Donetsk Oblast with cluster munitions in the morning of Feb. 4, Donetsk Oblast governor Vadym Filashkin reported.
Seven people are reported killed and a further 8 injured, as first responders continue their work at the site.
According to Filashkin, the city's market, a place where the remaining residents often gather to buy food and other essential supplies, suffered a direct hit, while other residential buildings nearby were also damaged.
Druzhkivka lies in the agglomeration of four cities that make up the bulk of the remaining population centers under Ukrainian control in Donetsk Oblast, lying between the logistics hub of Kramatorsk and the largely-destroyed front-line city of Kostiantynivka.
Over 2025, Russian advances brought Druzhkivka within 15 kilometers of the front line, comfortably within the reach of first-person view (FPV) drones.
These cities remain at the core of Russia's minimal demands for stopping its war against Ukraine, with Kyiv facing ongoing pressure to relinquish the rest of Donetsk Oblast, currently populated by around 200,000 residents, into occupation without a fight.
"This is another targeted war crime and further proof that all Russian statements about a 'ceasefire' are worthless," Filashkin wrote.
'The worst damage we have seen' — Ukraine's energy crisis deepens after latest mass Russian attack
Russia's latest mass attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure caused "some of the worst damage we have seen" during the full-scale war, authorities have said.
During the Feb. 3 strike, Russia launched 71 missiles and 450 drones at Ukraine, the Air Force said. At least four people were killed and 32 others injured in the attacks, according to local authorities.
Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal reported on the evening of Feb. 3 that the power generation facilities and transmission and distribution networks in several oblasts were damaged. According to Shmyhal, the situation is "complicated," and energy companies are enacting emergency power cuts, with additional generators deployed in critical areas.
"Let's be honest, it will take a considerable amount of time. The Energy Ministry, the Development Ministry, the city, municipal, and private enterprises are providing all the necessary assistance with equipment and specialists," Shmyhal said.
He added that Kyiv's Darnytsia thermal power plant, which was focused solely on supplying heat to residents, has suffered severe damage. "This is a war crime committed by Russia," Shmyhal added.
Blackouts reported in Russia's Belgorod Oblast after missile, drone attack
Blackouts were reported in Russia's Belgorod Oblast overnight on Feb. 3., where officials said an alleged Ukrainian missile and drone attack sparked a fire in the city of Belgorod, damaging critical infrastructure.
Russian independent outlet Astra reported that after the strike power was cut off in Belgorod and the Oblast. It added that, allegedly, two electrical substations were hit, "Frunzenskaya" and "Belgorod."
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed Ukraine's "massive" missile attack damaged energy infrastructure in the Oblast.
Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova Plus, citing local residents, said the blackout followed an attack. The Supernova Telegram channel published several videos and photos from local residents showing the sounds of air raid sirens and explosions.
At least 7 killed, 32 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
At least seven people have been killed and 32 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on Feb. 3.
Russia launched 105 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Around 70 of were counted as being Shahed-type strike drones, while the rest were Gerbera and Italmas unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 88 of the drones. At least 17 drones made it through, striking 14 locations, while debris fell in 5 locations.
In Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, three civilians were killed and a total of eleven injured as Russian forces conducted large-scale attacks on Polohy District as well as the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, two people — a 68-year-old woman and 38-year-old man — were killed and another two injured after a Russian attack near the town of Vasylkivka, governor Oleksandr Hanzha said.
In Sumy Oblast, a 41-year-old resident of Vorozhbianska community was killed by a Russian drone, while two other men, 45-year-old and 75-old respectively, were injured in other areas by Russian attacks.
One resident of the city of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast was killed by Russian forces, governor Vadym Filashkin said.
A total of 16 civilians, including two children, were wounded in 11 settlements in Kharkiv Oblast, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said, with most of the casualties coming inside the regional capital of Kharkiv.
One civilian was wounded while three others were rescued from rubble in Odesa Oblast after Russian drones attacked the region en masse overnight, according to oblast governor Oleh Kiper. Critical infrastructure, administrative, commercial and residential buildings were all damaged in the attacks, he said.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,243,070 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost around 1,243,070 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Feb. 4.
The number includes 780 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,637 tanks, 23,992 armored fighting vehicles, 76,949 vehicles and fuel tanks, 36,915 artillery systems, 1,634 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,293 air defense systems, 435 airplanes, 347 helicopters, 123,743 drones, 28 ships and boats, and two submarines.
