22 March 2022: the day Ukrainian forces began pushing the enemy back from Kyiv

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) recalls the events of 22 March 2022 — a day that marked a pivotal stage in the battle for Kyiv. It was then that the Ukrainian Defence Forces shifted from containing the enemy to active counter-offensive operations, gradually recapturing occupied territories and creating the conditions for a large-scale retreat of Russian troops.

One of the main achievements was the official confirmation of the liberation of the village of Makariv. Although reports of the Ukrainian flag being raised there had appeared earlier, it was on 22 March that the General Staff announced full control over the settlement. This made it possible to cut off the enemy’s vital logistics routes along the Zhytomyr highway. At the same time, Ukrainian forces began encircling enemy forces in the Irpin, Bucha and Gostomel areas.

Against the backdrop of setbacks on the front line, Russian troops intensified their shelling of civilian infrastructure. In particular, in the Obolon district of Kyiv, a shell strike caused a fire in two buildings and a lorry, resulting in civilian casualties.

In Irpin itself, the fighting moved into the stage of clearing individual neighbourhoods. The occupying forces attempted to hold their positions on the outskirts of the city, but the initiative had already shifted to the Ukrainian military, in particular the fighters of the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade (72nd SMB) and volunteer units.

A soldier with the call sign ‘Pheasant’, a fighter from the 72nd MB, recounted the events of that day. According to him, for the first time in a long while, Ukrainian units were not only defending themselves but also actively pushing the enemy back. As they retreated to their recaptured positions near Irpin, Russian troops left behind vehicles, equipment and personal belongings. Ukrainian forces also destroyed an enemy reconnaissance group that was attempting to break out of the encirclement through the forest. According to the soldier’s assessment, the enemy was no longer planning an offensive on Kyiv but was focusing on survival.

The liberation of Makariv on 22 March was one of the first strategic successes that laid the groundwork for the subsequent destruction of Russian positions in the Kyiv region.

Photos accompanying the article are for illustrative purposes only.
Authors: Vitaliy Sokur, Oleg Hryb and the 130th Separate Territorial Defence Brigade (130 OBTrO).