What did 6 March 2023 follow in war and NATO politics?
A look back at two developments reported in the days before 6 March 2023: a Russian ministerial visit to the Donbas and Finland's parliamentary vote on NATO.
What was the political picture on 6 March 2023? Two reports from the preceding days framed it: one concerned the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, the other the enlargement of NATO.
On 4 March 2023, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was filmed inspecting troops in what was described as the eastern military district in the south Donetsk direction. The visit was reported as a rare high-level trip to the Donbas, and it came during the Battle of Bakhmut.
A few days earlier, on 1 March 2023, the Finnish Parliament voted 184–7 to formally approve the country's accession to NATO and to adopt the alliance's founding documents. At that point Hungary and Turkey had yet to approve Finland's membership.
Together, the reports showed a Russian leadership presenting itself near the front line while one of Ukraine's neighbours in Europe moved closer to joining the alliance, with two member states' approvals still outstanding.
