încercuirea

Încercuirea is a term used in military and strategic discourse to denote the act of surrounding an enemy force, a fortress, or a geographic area with the aim of isolating it from relief, resupply, or escape. The encirclement creates a sealed perimeter through advances on multiple fronts or through enveloping movements, often culminating in a siege or forced surrender. The noun derives from the Romanian verb a încercui, meaning to encircle; its sense is close to the English encirclement and the French encercler.

In military usage, încercuirea can be classified as tactical, strategic, or siege encirclement. Tactical encirclement refers to rapid, localized efforts to envelop a maneuvering force and disrupt its cohesion. Strategic encirclement aims at isolating an army or a campaign theater by dominant positions or lines of communication, potentially leading to a decisive defeat. Siege encirclement describes surrounding a fortified place to prevent relief or escape, often followed by bombardment, blockade, or negotiations.

Methods include pincers (two converging wings that close in from opposite sides), ring encirclement around a city or position, or a circumvallation and contravallation approach in siege warfare. Advantages include disruption of supply and withdrawal routes; risks involve overextended supply lines, potential relief attempts, and high casualties if escape is impossible or collapse is slow.

In contemporary usage, încercuirea can also denote political or economic containment, such as sanctions, blockades, or alliance-driven pressure intended to neutralize a target without direct combat.