Launch of Ukrainian satellite, shelling of Kurakhove, another torture chamber in Mykolaiv: today's highlights

Situation at the frontline

Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that the most difficult situation at the front remains in the area of Soledar - Bakhmut - Maiorsk. Heavy fighting also continues at the Svatove - Kreminna border and in the direction of Lysychansk.

He reported this on his Telegram page following a conversation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley.

According to Zaluzhnyi, in the area of Soledar - Bakhmut - Maiorsk “the enemy is trying to move forward on their soldiers’ corpses, but the units of the Defense Forces are holding back the enemy offensive at the cost of extraordinary efforts”.

Ukrainian satellite was launched into orbit in the USA

The Ukrainian satellite PolyITAN-HP-30, created on the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence, was launched from Cape Canaveral in the United States.

The launch took place using a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle. In total, this rocket has launched 114 different spacecraft into orbit.

The Ukrainian satellite will conduct a scientific experiment on the effectiveness of heat pipes as the main element of spacecraft thermal stabilization systems.

Russians hit a high-rise building in Kurakhove

On the morning of January 3, the Russian occupation troops shelled Kurakhove, Donetsk Oblast, with artillery — they hit a residential area. This was reported by the head of the regional military administration Pavlo Kyrylenko.

According to preliminary information, one person was killed and two more were wounded as a result of the Russian attack in Kurakhove.

One shell hit directly into a high-rise building. In addition, a water supply infrastructure facility was damaged and windows in buildings near the hit site were broken.

Another torture chamber of occupiers found in Mykolaiv Oblast

Ukrainian law enforcement officers found a torture chamber of the Russian occupation troops in Mykolaiv Oblast. This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.

According to the investigation, representatives of the Russian Federation seized a house in the village. They illegally detained and brutally tortured local residents who refused to cooperate with the enemy.

The Security Service clarified that the torture chamber was found in the village of Oleksandrivka. There, the Russians tried to “beat out” the addresses of Ukrainian patriots, in particular members of the resistance movement.

According to the special services, the victims there were strangled with plastic bags, beaten with heavy objects, and shocked with stun guns.

During the inspection of the torture chamber, law enforcement officers found “tools” of torture. They also identified Ukrainian citizens who had been illegally detained and tortured by the occupiers for a month.