Russian troops attack Kharkiv regional town of Izyum with ballistic missile

A Russian airborne attack on an administrative building in Izyum, Kharkiv region, killed five civilians and caused more than 55 injuries. Two women were killed, aged 18 and 19 years, and one was pregnant, the regional military administration said.
Among the injured are a 6-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. The bombardment damaged the targeted building as well as nearby administrative and residential buildings. The head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration reported that 170 apartments were damaged, and municipal repair crews were working to repair the broken windows and doors.
The search and rescue operation has been completed, with no people found under the rubble.
SOURCESymbolic number of the Day
Fifty-nine percent of more than 92,000 Ukrainian refugees aged 15 to 65 years are employed in the Netherlands, according to data provided by the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
This is an increase from the previous year when the employment rate was 55 percent. Unlike migrants from other countries outside the European Union or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Ukrainian refugees who arrived after the all-out Russian invasion in February 2022 do not require a work permit, giving them an advantage in finding employment. Among the different age groups, those between 25 and 45 years old were the most likely to be employed, while those between 15 and 25 years old were the least likely. There was no significant difference in employment rates between men and women. The primary sectors where Ukrainian refugees found work were in business service provision, trade, transportation, and in hospitality, such as hotels and restaurants.
SOURCEWar in Pictures
Russia attacks southern Kherson region. According to local police, one person was killed and 14 were injured, including two children and a police officer. Kherson and other towns in the region came under enemy bombardment. Russian strikes caused significant damage to more than 40 sites, including four residential buildings, 21 single-family houses, critical infrastructure facilities, cafes, gas pipelines, three passenger cars, a police car, an ambulance, three farm buildings, two garages and a warehouse.
SOURCE
Video of the Day
Ukrainian drone operators from the 413th “Reid” battalion successfully destroy a Russian Osa anti-aircraft missile system using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The Osa (Wasp)system is designed to intercept air targets, including drones, and is used by the Russian military to protect strategic facilities.
SOURCEInstitute for the Study of War (ISW) report

Key Takeaways:
- Russian forces continued to suffer high losses in January 2025 despite a slower rate of advance as compared with previous months in late 2024.
- Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted drone strikes against Russian oil and gas infrastructure in Volgograd and Astrakhan oblasts on the night of February 2 to 3.
- Ukrainian forces continue to innovate with drone operations to maintain their technological advantage over Russia and bring about battlefield effects.
- The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) expressed concern about the “sharp rise” in reports of Russian forces executing Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).
- Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on February 3 that Ukraine has started implementing organizational reforms to transition the Ukrainian Armed Forces into a “corps structure.”
- Unspecified actors assassinated Armen Sargsyan, the founder of the “Arbat” Special Purpose Battalion, who has been involved in Russia’s hybrid activities and invasions of Ukraine since 2014.
- Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova, and Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Borova, Lyman, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and in the Dnipro direction.
- The Russian government is expanding the federal “Time of Heroes” program, which aims to install Kremlin-selected veterans into government positions, to occupied Ukraine as part of long-term efforts to integrate occupied Ukraine into Russia.
War heroes

Capt. Volodymyr Voloshyn(call sign Vovkun) was killed on Oct. 21, 2024, as a result of an enemy mortar attack during a combat mission near the village of Stepova Novoselivka in the Kharkiv region. The defender was 54 years old.
The officer was born in the Dnipropetrovsk region. He had a law degree. Since 2009, he had been the head of Zaporizhzhian Cossacks, where he held the rank of Sergeant Major of the Army.
Voloshyn is an anti-terrorist operation veteran dating to 2014 when Russia’s initially invaded Ukraine. During the full-scale war, he defended the country as part of the 43rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, and served as a company commander of the 3rd Mechanized Battalion.
During his service, Voloshyn received a number of awards.
“I am very proud of my father, because there are very few men like him. He was not only a military man for me, but also my favorite dad, who always told me to be strong. My dad worked as a lawyer for the Anti-Corruption Committee, and he spent most of his life in the military and training soldiers. He also lived in London, but because of the war, he could not stay there and returned to defend his homeland,” said his daughter, Diana’s.
The defender was buried in the city of Dnipro and is survived by his daughter.
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