Balakliya was the first target liberated by Ukrainian troops in their sweeping and successful counter-offensive in the Kharkiv region, breaking through Russian lines. President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Izyum, which was the Kremlin’s main military stronghold in the region and was the main prize for Ukraine in the current phase of operations. “The sight is very shocking,” he said, “but it is not shocking to me because we started to see the same scenes from Bukha, from the first occupied territories.” Balakliya has not suffered like Bucha, the town outside Kyiv that became a byword for Russian atrocities. But there are reports of executions, beatings, looting and arbitrary arrests. Ukrainian investigators have arrived to search for evidence of war crimes as well as to hunt down alleged collaborators. Five bodies of people who were killed have been found. Two were shot at a checkpoint three days before Ukrainian forces arrived. Residents buried the bodies, which had been dumped on the side of the road. They have since been exhumed and moved to the regional capital, Kharkiv. Between 40 and 300 citizens were detained at the local police station at various times, some for weeks. Half a dozen small, dimly lit holding cells were used for interrogation. This included multiple counts of torture, Ukrainian investigators said, one of which showed dark stains on the walls. Nikolai was among those dragged to the police station after being accused of secretly helping Ukrainian forces. Free ride: A local woman walks past a damaged building in Balaklia after Ukrainian forces liberated the town (AFP via Getty Images) “First they came to my house looking for a neighbor they said was a spy. I told them that he and his family had left a long time ago and that was the truth,” the 42-year-old said. “But they came back the next day, said I was in cahoots with my neighbor and took me to the police station. “I kept telling them they were wrong. First it was slapping, then a young man came in and the real beating began. I got punched in the face. Then they pulled me out of the chair I was sitting on and started punching me in the stomach – it went on for a long time. They kept showing me pictures of people I didn’t know. Eventually they took me back to the cell with the others. I started pissing blood when I went to the toilet. “I had another winner’s session the next day, but they must have realized I couldn’t tell them anything. I was released after four days and went to the local hospital to be treated for injuries. they found I had broken ribs.” Decorated figure: a monument to Ukrainian writer and politician Taras Shevchenko is seen draped in the Ukrainian flag in Balaklia after Russian forces were driven out (Ukrainian presidential administration (leaflet)) He added: “I am very happy that we are now back in Ukraine, I am sure that our soldiers are doing so well, they will continue to take back our land,” said Nikolai, who did not want to give his family name “in case the Racists [Russians] Come back.” Serhiy Bolvinov, head of investigations for Kharkiv, said: “We are investigating a number of cases, including the two people killed in [checkpoint]. We discovered bullet holes in the bodies. Investigations will continue. We believe we will find other cases, unfortunately.” Ukrainian officials claim a network of collaborators helped the Russians and have vowed to track them down. An official from the Ukrainian intelligence service (SBU) said: “This is a pattern we have seen since the invasion. They have people in place before they move. Some of them would have gone with the Russians, but others would still be here.” Been and gun: Russian ammunition and weapons abandoned after Ukraine retakes area around Balakliya (Brochure/Ukrainian Army) Yuri Husak, who has lived in the city for 38 of his 51 years, said: “We have about 27,000 people living here. Strangers are perceived, so the collaborators must have been locals. I’ve heard there were associates here, but they wouldn’t hang around, they’re gone. And anyway, they couldn’t help the Russians hold that place in the end.” The memories many in Balaklia will hold of the Russians will be of an army disheartened and disorganized – disappearing, in the end, in a chaotic retreat, abandoning their arms. Twisted skeletons of tanks and armored cars hit by Ukrainian fire line the routes in and out of the city. “In the end, the Russians were hiding in offices, in people’s houses, in gardens. They weren’t fighting, just trying to get away. They were running between the rockets and cannons fired by our side,” said Svetlana Volkova. “One team had to turn back after one of the bridges they wanted to use was blown up. There was a lot of confusion.” Project without tanks: abandoned Russian military vehicles in Balaklia (AFP via Getty Images) Ms Volkova, 73, saw that many of the Russian soldiers were quite young. “They were living in their barracks, but I spoke to some of them when they came to the center. Some of them were so young that I would say to them, “What are you doing here? You should be at home with your family!’ Few said they wished they had been. They had been ordered to come. “I’m a grandmother, some of them looked the same age as my grandchildren. I didn’t want to see them die. I don’t blame them, I blame Putin for sending them here. What is the point of killing the youth of your country?’
