High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Battle of the Kalka River (Russian: Битва на реке Калке, Ukrainian: Битва на ріці Калка) took place on May 31, 1223, between the Mongol Empire (led by Jebe and Subutai) and Kiev, Galich, and several other Rus` principalities and the Cumans, under the command of Mstislav the Bold and Mstislav III of Kiev. The battle was fought on the banks of the Kalka River (in present-day Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine) and ended in a Mongol victory.