What shifted on the front by 24 January 2023?

What did the picture look like on 24 January 2023, as the war in Ukraine continued? The reports from the preceding days point to action on three fronts: the battlefield, Western military aid and sanctions.

Claims on the ground

On 20 January, Russia claimed to have captured the village of Klishchiivka in Donetsk Oblast, south of Bakhmut, and the village of Lobkove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The following day, 21 January, the Russian military said it had launched offensive operations in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and had "taken more advantageous lines and positions". Both were Russian statements, as reported at the time.

Sweden adds firepower

On 19 January, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson announced a new military support package for Ukraine. It included Sweden's self-propelled Archer Artillery System, 50 Combat Vehicle 90 infantry fighting vehicles and NLAW anti-tank missiles. The package combined artillery, armoured transport and anti-tank weapons.

Pressure on Wagner

On 20 January, the US Department of the Treasury designated the Russian paramilitary organisation Wagner Group as a transnational criminal organisation. The designation allowed provisions for international sanctions.

Reading the sequence

Taken together, the reports show Russian forces asserting gains around Bakhmut and in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, while outside governments announced equipment and sanctions measures within the same few days. The reports do not tie these steps to one another, and they do not show how the claimed Russian gains would be tested. What they establish is the range of activity on the eve of 24 January 2023: fighting in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, a Swedish pledge of heavy equipment, and a US move against a paramilitary group.