The Armed Forces of Ukraine entered Balakleya, many photos and videos are published on the network, in which the Ukrainian military with flags drive through the streets of the previously occupied city. One of the videos shows well-recognized buildings in Balakliya, in particular, the district center, which is located in the city center.
“We came from the western side, there was automatic shooting in the city, but not for long. It's quiet now. There were no urban battles. Apparently, the Russians themselves left, ” said the residents of the city.
The liberation of Balakleya plays an important role in the further advancement of Ukrainian troops to the east towards Kupyansk and the coverage of the group of Russian troops stationed in the Izyum region. According to military expert Roman Svitan, it was from Balakleya that the Russian group in Izyum was planning an offensive to the south or southwest to cut off supplies from Slavyansk. In fact, Balakleya is a transport center that will allow us to liberate the entire Kharkov region and thwart the Russian attack on Bakhmut.
On September 6, Svitan reported that the "Izyum group" of the Russian Federation was almost surrounded.
“In the north it is Chuguev, and further in a semicircle: Balakleya, which the Russians occupied, and further along the Seversky Donets almost to Seversk. So, this whole Izyum group is supplied through Kupyansk from the Russian Valuyek and Belgorod – these are two railways that converge in Kupyansk and feed this Izyum group. After HIMARS began to carry out the Izyum warehouses, the crossing, they cut off the Izyum grouping and the right bank from the supply.