[3] Following Russia's unilateral annexation of Crimea and despite the threat of arbitrary arrest and prosecution, he became notorious for openly displaying his hardline pro-Ukrainian stances, as well as for categorically refusing to become a naturalized Russian citizen.

Between 2015 and 2016, Balukh was taken into custody multiple times for refusing to take down the Ukrainian flag on his property, as well as for displaying a sign in honor of the 'Heavenly Hundred', a term used for the 108 deceased victims of violent government crackdowns during the Revolution of Dignity.

Following his first arrest, he was beaten and imprisoned for ten days, and subsequently sentenced to 320 hours of community service for allegedly insulting a police officer and stealing spare parts for a tractor in a neighboring village.

[9] Despite the lack of evidence and the court's refusal to investigate the origin of the confiscated ammunition, Balukh was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison and a 10,000 rouble fine.

[11] After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Balukh and many other exiled Crimean activists joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including Oleh Sentsov, Pavlo Kazarin, Serhiy Kostynskyi, Oleksandr Liev and Ismail Ramazanov.