War in Ukraine
Latvia will transfer reserve assets from its thermal power plants to the Kharkiv region for the restoration of heat supply. A joint working group has been established to coordinate logistics and technical parameters of the equipment.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov stated that there will be certain results regarding the exchange of prisoners of war in the near future. This work has been ongoing since 2022.
FIFA does not plan to reinstate Russia in competitions, despite President Gianni Infantino's statements about the need to lift the ban. Such a move would face strong opposition from a number of European countries.
President Zelenskyy met with OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ignazio Cassis and Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu. Ukraine counts on OSCE participation in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.
Since the beginning of the day, 147 combat engagements have taken place at the front. The enemy used 5,199 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,860 shelling attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed new sanctions decisions, synchronized with the United Kingdom. Sanctions against Dmytro Firtash and his entourage, as well as Taras Kozak, have been extended.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has recognized the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. This decision was made due to Iran's support for the spread of war and violence.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is considering the possibility of Russia's return to international football, claiming that the ban has not yielded results. The Ukrainian Association of Football and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine call for no change in position due to the ongoing war.
Loud statements and heated discussions - pension reform is being discussed in Ukraine. The biggest promises, for example, a minimum pension of UAH 6,000 for everyone, run into a budget ceiling, and real levers of stabilization run into what is always unpopular: economic growth, de-shadowing through the business climate, and political capacity to implement unpleasant decisions. What awaits pension reform in the near future.
In January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held 20 meetings and 14 telephone conversations, visiting France, Cyprus, Switzerland, and Lithuania. Following these contacts, Ukraine received NASAMS air defense missiles from Norway, the 31st package of military aid from Finland, and significant energy support from other partners.
President Zelenskyy announced a new round of negotiations between Ukraine, the US, and Russia on Wednesday and Thursday. Both a trilateral and a bilateral format with the US are planned.
The head of the Polish government, Donald Tusk, will visit Kyiv in the coming days. He noted that Ukraine cannot be left alone in this dramatic time.
On February 3, scheduled power outages and power restrictions for industry will be in effect in all regions of Ukraine. The reason is the consequences of Russian attacks on energy facilities.
Organizing presidential elections in Ukraine will cost between 4. 5 and 6.5 billion hryvnias, and parliamentary elections will cost 4.5 billion hryvnias. These sums do not include additional expenses for local authorities, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The competition commission for selecting the head of the State Customs Service signed a memorandum with NABU, although representatives of the Bureau are among the applicants. Political expert Oleh Posternak accused NABU of manipulation and attempts to gain control over government bodies.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the readiness of a bilateral document on security guarantees with the United States. Ukraine expects further work on documents related to recovery and economic development.
Ukraine has named skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych and 21-year-old short track speed skater Yelyzaveta Sydorko as flag bearers for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Sydorko will be the youngest Ukrainian short track speed skater at the Olympics.
Russian units are increasing pressure in the Vovchansk direction, suffering significant losses and using tactics of mass infantry attacks. The situation in Vovchansk remains difficult, but Ukrainian forces are holding back the offensive.
Prosecutor General Kravchenko announced a notice of suspicion to a former deputy commander of a military unit who accrued 1. 97 million hryvnias for himself and others for fictitious participation in combat operations. This case is part of the systemic work of the prosecutor's office to detect corruption in payments to servicemen.
The CERT-UA team has recorded a new wave of cyberattacks on Ukrainian government agencies and EU organizations, exploiting a vulnerability in Microsoft Office (CVE-2026-21509). The attackers sent malicious emails disguised as the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, gaining access to victims' computers.
The European Union may ban the import of iridium, rhodium, platinum, and copper from Russia as part of new sanctions. The restrictions, if supported by member states, will affect GMK Norilsk Nickel.
President Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed energy support for Ukraine and a new package of sanctions against Russia. The European Union will provide Ukraine with generators and energy equipment, and will finalize the 20th sanctions package.
Five people have been detained in Germany on suspicion of organizing illegal supplies of industrial goods to Russia worth approximately 30 million euros. The investigation believes that the suspects used shell companies to circumvent EU sanctions.
A man who tried to illegally cross the border with Romania was detained in Zakarpattia. He was wanted on suspicion of rape and tried to escape on the day of the trial.
A poll has shown that Ukrainians largely reject exchanging Donbas for guarantees, do not expect a quick end to the war, are ready to hold on for as long as it takes, support strikes on Russian territory, and at the same time maintain faith in Ukraine's EU membership.
Russia attacked a DTEK coal enterprise in Dnipropetrovsk region for the second time in a day, damaging administrative buildings. Earlier, 12 miners were killed and 16 injured.
Since the beginning of the day, 63 combat engagements have been recorded. In the Pokrovsk direction, the Defense Forces repelled 21 attacks, holding back the enemy's pressure.
Higher education institutions have started training zero-year students within the framework of the "Winter Admission" project. 88 HEIs submitted documents on the implementation of the program, 78 of them are under the management of the Ministry of Education and Science.
On the night of February 2, 2026, the Defense Forces launched strikes on enemy targets in the occupied territories. Two command posts and an ammunition depot in the Kurakhivka area were hit, as well as UAV control points in Zaporizhzhia.
US President's special envoy Stephen Witkoff will travel to Abu Dhabi for talks with Russia and Ukraine. He will also meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.