Ceatalchioi Explained

Type:commune
County:Tulcea
Ceatalchioi
Subdivisions:Ceatalchioi, Pătlăgeanca, Plauru, Sălceni
Leader Name:Tudor Cernega[1]
Leader Party:PSD
Leader Term:2020 - 2024
Coordinates:45.2833°N 75°W
Elevation:2
Area Total:108.06
Population Total:auto
Postal Code:827040
Area Code:+(40) x40

Ceatalchioi is a commune in Tulcea County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Ceatalchioi (Turkish: Çatalköy), Pătlăgeanca (historical name: Principesa Ileana), Plauru (historical name: Lascăr Catargiu), and Sălceni.

Location

The commune is located in the northern part of Tulcea County, north of the county seat, Tulcea. It lies in the Danube Delta, on the right bank of the Chilia branch of the Danube, which marks the Romania–Ukraine border. Across from the village of Plauru is the city of Izmail, on the Ukrainian side of the border.

September 2023 explosions

During the evening of September 3, 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, multiple Russian drones of Iranian production Shahed-136, that were supposed to hit a target in Izmail, crashed and detonated on the Romanian side, close to the village of Plauru (45.3289°N 28.8036°W). As the area the detonations took place is uninhabited, the incident went unnoticed, and it was the Ukrainian government who announced the explosion of Russian drones in Romania.[2]

Initially, the Romanian government denied the event taking place, but on September 4, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine published a video showing the explosions taking place on the Romanian side. The Ukrainian government informed the Romanian government and a search party was commenced. As Romania is a NATO member state, it was believed that the government is denying the incidents to avoid an escalation of the events. However, fragments of a first drone were found in the area close to the Danube shore days later, confirming that a Russian drone detonated in Romania. The Romanian president Klaus Iohannis had a phone conversation with Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, after the incident, which publicly stated that "Romania has full NATO support.".

Parts of a second drone were found on September 9 in the immediate vicinity of the village of Plauru and the third on September 13 in the area of the village of Victoria in the commune of Nufăru, 15 km from the Romanian-Ukrainian border, which spread over several tens of meters, confirming that multiple drones were detonated on Romanian soil.[3] The Ukrainian Air Force recorded that the Russia launched several groups of attack UAVs from the area of the Chauda training ground (occupied Crimea) and Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russian Federation).[4] Journalists on the site began questioning locals, who stated that they often saw Russian drones flying over their houses, giving clues that it may not have been the first time Russia violates Romanian airspace.

Similar incidents already took place in Moldova, Poland, and Belarus, countries not involved directly in the conflict. Romania became the second NATO country to be affected, after Poland. Coincidentally, Poland and Romania were the countries to be the most threatened by Russian politicians, because of their proximity and NATO membership.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

On July 25, 2024, three Shahed drones launched by Russia strayed into Romania's airspace;[10] debris from one of the Geran-2 drones were subsequently found in Plauru by the Romanian authorities.[10] [11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Results of the 2020 local elections . Central Electoral Bureau . 14 June 2021 . dmy-all.
  2. Web site: OSINT analysts geolocate detonation site of Russian drone in Romania. Military. en. 2023-09-06. 2023-09-13.
  3. Web site: Elements of a possible drone were identified in zona Nufărul and Victoria areas. Ministry of National Defence. en. 2023-09-13. 2023-09-13.
  4. Web site: Russians launch drones in southern regions and intensify tactical aircraft operations. Ukrainska Pravda. uk. 2023-09-04. 2023-09-04.
  5. Web site: Російські "Шахеди" влучили по території Румунії, каже Україна. Бухарест заперечує. BBC. uk. 2023-09-04. 2023-09-04.
  6. Web site: Tras un ataque ruso en Ucrania, cristales rotos y nervios a flor de piel en Rumania. Andrew. Higgins. The New York Times. es. 2023-08-11. 2023-09-04.
  7. Web site: У МЗС заявили, що російські дрони Shahed-136 вночі вибухнули в Румунії – країні НАТО: карта. LIGA.net. uk. 2023-09-04. 2023-09-04.
  8. Web site: Вибух "шахедів" у Румунії. Міноборони країни видало суперечливі пресрелізи щодо ситуації. LIGA.net. uk. 2023-09-04. 2023-09-04.
  9. Web site: Міноборони Румунії зробило заяву щодо падіння російського БПЛА на їхню територію. НСТУ. uk. 2023-09-04. 2023-09-04.
  10. News: Ukraine’s air force said three Russian Shahed kamikaze drones crossed the border. Politico. Veronika. Melkozerova. July 25, 2024. July 25, 2024.
  11. News: NATO, după ce resturile unei drone rusești au căzut în România: acțiuni iresponsabile și potențial periculoase ale Rusie. ro. Radio Free Europe. Ovidiu . Cornea. July 25, 2024. July 25, 2024.