Russian forces launched almost 200 drones and a missile on Ukraine on 2 February, injuring four people in Cherkasy Oblast and sparking fires in the regional capital, Ukrainian officials reported. Air defense intercepted most of the drones, but some got through along with a ballistic missile, striking multiple locations.
Fires and injuries in Cherkasy, central Ukraine
Ihor Taburets, head of Cherkasy Oblast Military Administration, called it a "difficult night" for the region on Telegram around 6 a.m. Strikes hit multiple locations, including the regional capital.
"As a result, fires broke out," he said, also reporting four injured based on preliminary data.
All emergency services were working at the scene.
Earlier, around 3 a.m., Suspilne correspondents reported explosions in Cherkasy. At the time, the Air Force had warned of drones heading toward the oblast.
171 drones, one missile, five launch directions
Moscow launched 171 long-range attack drones from Russia and occupied Donetsk, and an Iskander-M ballistic missile from occupied Crimea, Ukraine's Air Force reported.
The drones included Shaheds, Gerberas, Italmas and other types. About 100 were explosive Shaheds. They came from Kursk, Oryol, Prymorsko-Akhtarsk, and Millerovo in Russia, plus occupied Donetsk. The attack lasted from 6 p.m. on 1 February into the early morning hours.
Air defense repoetedly downed or suppressed 157 drones across northern, southern, and eastern Ukraine by 9 a.m. The missile and 12 drones struck eight locations.
The attack was still ongoing at the time of reporting, 9:00.
Uman loses heating amid minus 20 degrees
In Uman, a city in Cherkasy Oblast, a boiler plant shut down around 4 a.m. due to a power surge, the city council reported. The outage cut heating to the railway station district and city center. Repair crews were working to restore service.
It remains unclear whether the power surge was caused by the Russian attack or by the extreme cold, with temperatures in Ukraine currently around minus 20°C.
