On September 8, Ukrainian defenders fired Balakliya, which had been under occupation since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Locals who did not evacuate were very happy to see the blue and yellow banner, because they had to go through a lot while living in the occupation.
Artyom, a resident of Balakleya, spoke about 46 days in prison and endless torture in a comment Channel 24 journalist Ani Chernenko.
How and why the occupiers seized Artyom
The man said that once the occupiers came to his house with searches.
An armored personnel carrier and KamAZ drove in, there were a lot of them. They entered the house, began to climb the cabinets. We found a photo where my brother is in uniform. They asked who it was, and I answered: brother. He serves. Well, they say they left. They blindfolded him, first they rolled around the city, and then they brought him to prison,” Artyom recalled.
He was still in a cell with five people. There are no amenities. They took me to the toilet at 6:00 and at 18:00. If “in a small way”, then they took a 5-liter bottle.
“They fed twice a day. Porridge without salt, without anything. Well, sometimes soup came across at lunch, if the soldiers didn’t milk it. It was such a holiday. And it happened that the remaining soup was thrown at the camera: a plate or two. 3 spoons they let everyone in a circle, well, that's all,” the man said.
About the constant torture by infidels
According to him, it was the hardest thing for him on the first day, because it is not clear Where are you being taken and why? And the last day of the interrogation.
You seem to want to be interrogated, and it’s scary, because after the interrogations they let you out, but you understand that they will still beat you there. Luckily, I didn't get beat up. And those who were beaten were beaten on the hands and feet. And it happened when a person was severely beaten, they held him until the bruises disappeared. Then they just let go. So that people in the city do not see what they are doing here, what is happening here,” Artem said.
Speaking about the liberation of Balakleya, he can hardly restrain his emotions. He said that when the APU entered the city, he felt free. Now you can freely walk the streets, talk on the phone without fear of being detained.
Ukrainian Armed Forces took control of Balakliya: the main thing
Back in early March, Balakliya in the Kharkiv region was under occupation – Mayor of the city Ivan Stolbovoy betrayed Ukraine, went over to the side of the occupiers and left for Russia with his family.
Now in Russia they are actively discussing the loss of Balakliya, because our banner is already flying there, but the Ministry of Defense and state media continue to assure that Balakliya is allegedly still under the control of the Russians. According to ISW analysts, this significantly undermined the confidence of the Russians in the military command.
