Balakliia or Balakliya[2] (Ukrainian: Балаклія IPA: [bɐlɐˈkl⁽ʲ⁾ijɐ] ⓘ; Russian: Балаклея, romanized: Balakleya) is a city in the Izium Raion, Kharkiv Oblast, eastern Ukraine, on the northeast side of the Siverskyi Donets river close to where it is joined by the Balakliika river [uk], which runs through the town.

The modern history of the settlement began in 1663,[10][1] when it became populated by East Slavs and served as a guard post against raids from Crimean Tatars.

By the end of March, the fires and resulting arms explosions at the ammunition depot in Balakliia had damaged almost 250 buildings.

[19] The then-Mayor Ivan Stolbovyy [uk] initially stayed in the occupied town and collaborated with the Russian occupation forces.

[20] On 28 March, the government of Ukraine began criminal proceedings against Stolbovyy on charges of treason and collaboration with Russia.

[22] The senior military occupation officer in Balakliia was Colonel Ivan Popov;[23] the commandant charged with "keeping the local civilian population in check" went under the pseudonym "V. Granit" (Granite), and oversaw at least one interrogation center where Ukrainian civilians were "beaten and questioned using electric shocks", according to Balakliia residents and Ukrainian government officials.

[23] According to a Reuters investigation published in April 2023, "Granit" was the pseudonym of Valery Sergeyevich Buslov, a lieutenant colonel in the military police.

Russian soldiers distributed flyers "warning of Ukraine’s descent into Nazi rule" if the Ukrainian government regained control of the town, and "scribbled" on the walls of the military base.

[23] On 6 September 2022, Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive towards Balakliia, reportedly retaking adjacent Verbivka and besieging the town.

[25] After crossing the Donets River, men of the 71st Jaeger Brigade led an offensive on Balakliia, coming from the direction of Husarivka.