Polish–Lithuanian forces led by Stephen Báthory successfully fought against the army of Russian tsar Ivan IV ("the Terrible") over the Duchy of Livonia and Polotsk.

In the second half of the 16th century, several powers, including Poland, Lithuania, and Russia were engaged in the struggle over the control of the ports in the southern Baltic Sea (Dominium Maris Baltici).

The Russo-Lithuanian War of 1558–1570, in which Poland aided Lithuania (and in 1569 united with it forming the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), ended inconclusively with a three-year-long truce.

In July the main Muscovite army of about 30,000 advanced from Pskov, taking Viļaka, Rēzekne, Daugavpils, Koknese, Gulbene, and surrounding areas.

[4] Bathory's army consisted of Polish, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Wallachian, Bohemian, and German soldiers, besides the Szekler brigade under Mózes Székely.

[8] The Polish-Lithuanian army also captured all 8 Russian-occupied castles in Polotsk - Rasony region (Sokol, Nescherda, Susha, Krasnae, Turovlia, Sitna, Kaz'jany, Usviaty) .

Lithuanian-Polish forces resumed their offensive the following year with the Third Campaign of Bathory, besieging Velikiye Luki on 29 August and taking it on 5 September.