The battle of Balakliia was the first battle of the
Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive
The 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive was a Counter-offensive, counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast, Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory of the Kharkiv Oblast which was launched on 6 September ...
that began on September 6, 2022.
Background
During the early days of the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
, Russian forces captured much of eastern
Kharkiv Oblast
Kharkiv Oblast ( uk, Харківська́ о́бласть, translit=Kharkivska oblast), also referred to as Kharkivshchyna ( uk, Ха́рківщина), is an oblast (province) of eastern Ukraine. The oblast borders Russia to the north, Luhans ...
, including the towns of
Kupiansk
Kupiansk ( uk, Куп'янськ, ) is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kupiansk Raion. It is also an important railroad junction for the oblast. Kupiansk hosts the administrative offices of Kupiansk Ur ...
,
Shevchenkove Shevchenkove is a name of several populated places in Ukraine.
It may refer to:
* Shevchenkove, Shevchenkove rural hromada, Mykolaiv Raion, Mykolaiv Oblast, a village in Shevchenkove rural hromada, Mykolaiv Raion
* Shevchenkove, Shevchenkove sett ...
, and
Balakliia
Balakliia ( uk, Балаклія, ; russian: Балаклея, translit=Balakleya) or Balakliya is a city in Izium Raion, in Kharkiv Oblast (province), eastern Ukraine, on the north-east side of the Siverskyi Donets river close to where it is jo ...
. Balakliia itself was captured on March 3, 2022, without much of a fight. From March to early May, most of the fighting in Kharkiv Oblast was concentrated in the cities of
Kharkiv
Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Izium.
In early April, Russian forces captured Izium, and Ukrainian forces successfully defended Kharkiv by early May. After that, the frontline began to stagnate as Russia and Ukraine focused their efforts on the cities of Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk and the wider
Donbas
The Donbas or Donbass (, ; uk, Донба́с ; russian: Донба́сс ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. Parts of the Donbas are controlled by Russian separatist groups as a result of the Russo-Ukrai ...
region.
Throughout July and August 2022, Ukrainian and Russian media both amplified claims of a Ukrainian counteroffensive in
Kherson Oblast
Kherson Oblast ( uk, Херсо́нська о́бласть, translit=Khersónsʹka óblastʹ, ), also known as Khersonshchyna ( uk, Херсо́нщина, ), is an oblast (province) in southern Ukraine, currently claimed and partly occupied ...
, which finally culminated on August 29, 2022. The counteroffensive saw slow progress, with Ukrainian forces suffering heavy losses and facing a stiff Russian resistance. However, on September 6, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise counteroffensive in eastern Kharkiv oblast, with fighting for Balakliia beginning on the first day.
Battle
On September 6, Ukrainian forces launched an offensive towards Balakliia, after having concentrated lots of forces near the area. On the first day, they liberated , a suburb northwest of Balakliia. Russian forces stationed in Balakliia blew up bridges to slow the Ukrainian advance from Verbivka, although Ukrainian forces went around the town instead to besiege it. Some Ukrainian forces stayed near Balakliia, fighting Russian forces in the center of the city while another group went north towards Volokhiv Yar.
By September 7, Balakliia was under siege, with fighting taking place in the eastern and central parts of the city. Fighting ended on September 8, with Ukrainian forces liberating all of Balakliia.
Aftermath
During the days after the battle, Ukrainian forces liberated
Kupiansk
Kupiansk ( uk, Куп'янськ, ) is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kupiansk Raion. It is also an important railroad junction for the oblast. Kupiansk hosts the administrative offices of Kupiansk Ur ...
Velykyi Burluk
Velykyi Burluk ( uk, Великий Бурлук, lit=Great Swamp) is an urban-type settlement in Ukraine, in Kupiansk Raion of Kharkiv Oblast. It hosts the administration of Velykyi Burluk rural hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Populat ...
and Vovchansk on September 12. The counteroffensive stalled after September 12, as news teams, Ukrposhta, and other organizations were let into eastern Kharkiv oblast.
On September 14, Ukrainian police officers found evidence of a torture chamber that housed 40 civilians in the basement of the Balakliia police station. The locals that remained in the city claimed that unlike other areas under Russian occupation like Bucha and Irpin, Russian occupation forces were generally much more tame in their treatment of civilians.
See also
*
2022 Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive
The 2022 Ukrainian eastern counteroffensive is a counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory of Kharkiv Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, and Luhansk Oblast, that was launched on 6 September 2022. Following ...
Battle of Kharkiv (2022)
The Battle of Kharkiv was a military engagement that took place from February to May 2022 in and around the city of Kharkiv in Ukraine, as part of the northeastern Ukraine offensive and eastern Ukraine offensive during the 2022 Russian invasion ...
Balakliia
Balakliia ( uk, Балаклія, ; russian: Балаклея, translit=Balakleya) or Balakliya is a city in Izium Raion, in Kharkiv Oblast (province), eastern Ukraine, on the north-east side of the Siverskyi Donets river close to where it is jo ...
Balakliia
Balakliia ( uk, Балаклія, ; russian: Балаклея, translit=Balakleya) or Balakliya is a city in Izium Raion, in Kharkiv Oblast (province), eastern Ukraine, on the north-east side of the Siverskyi Donets river close to where it is jo ...
Balakliia
Balakliia ( uk, Балаклія, ; russian: Балаклея, translit=Balakleya) or Balakliya is a city in Izium Raion, in Kharkiv Oblast (province), eastern Ukraine, on the north-east side of the Siverskyi Donets river close to where it is jo ...
Balakliia
Balakliia ( uk, Балаклія, ; russian: Балаклея, translit=Balakleya) or Balakliya is a city in Izium Raion, in Kharkiv Oblast (province), eastern Ukraine, on the north-east side of the Siverskyi Donets river close to where it is jo ...