Anniversary of liberation of Balakliya: Zaluzhny thanks Armed Forces for de-occupation of city
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny expressed his gratitude to Ukrainian defenders on the occasion of the anniversary of the liberation of Balakliya, in the Kharkiv region, from Russian invaders.
He wrote about this on Telegram, Ukrinform reported.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reminded, the defenders returned the city to Ukrainian control during the first stage of the Slobozhanske offensive on September 8, 2022.
"Balakliya was an important communication hub in the south of the Kharkiv region, and its de-occupation created favorable conditions for the development of the offensive on Kupiansk," Zaluzhnyi said.
The offensive, according to the commander-in-chief, was based on the interaction of tank, mechanized and light motorized units with the active support of long-range artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. After breaking through the enemy's defenses, mobile raiding groups continued to succeed.
As reported, a year ago, as a result of a counteroffensive, Ukrainian defenders liberated half a thousand settlements and more than 10,000 square kilometers of territory in the Kharkiv region.