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What shifted on 23 March 2022 in Ukraine's war
Summary
A look back at reports of Russian reprioritisation toward Donbas, a limited push-back at Chernihiv and new sanctions plans.
What did the war look like on 23 March 2022, and which way was it moving? Reports from that day and the one before pointed to a shift in Russian emphasis, a modest local gain for Ukrainian forces and further Western pressure.
An official said on 23 March 2022 that Russia had begun to give priority to its operations in the Donbas region, including around Luhansk. The statement described a change in focus, not an end to fighting elsewhere.
Elsewhere, the picture was different. On 23 March 2022, troops in Chernihiv managed to push back some of the Russian forces that had encircled the city for weeks. The reported gain was limited: part of the encircling force was pushed back somewhat, and the report did not describe the siege as lifted.
Pressure through sanctions
On 22 March 2022, Biden announced plans to impose sanctions on hundreds of members of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament. The announcement belonged to the wider effort to raise the cost of the invasion for Russia's political class.
A rumour laid to rest
On 22 March 2022, a former Canadian air force sniper known as Wali, who had been rumoured to have been killed by Russia, said during a video call that he was alive.
Reading the day
Taken together, the reports show a conflict with several strands: an emphasis reportedly moving towards the east, a local Ukrainian success in the north, and sanctions aimed at Russian lawmakers. Each was reported separately, and none was presented as settling the course of the war.
