“Focșanilor Gate”, the legendary point that protects Bucharest in the event of a conflict. Can we defend ourselves there in a critical case? “Something has changed in the way Putin weighs the risks and targets.”

“As long as Ukraine resists, Romania cannot be threatened on land ”, say the analysts consulted by Hotnews. But defense plans exist. The Focșani – Râmnicu Sărat – Galați – Brăila rectangle is a strong defense alignment in recent years. Himars tactical operative units have the basis in Focșani, in Bârlad. of Larom rockets.

Incidents with Russian planes and drones that have entered the NATO, Lithuania, Poland and Romania space, are interpreted differently. Recently consulted by CNN, sources from Western intelligence services, I claim that there are analyzes that say they are planned and premeditated, as there are analyzes that claim that some can be losses of control of the fighter devices.

But, what is not in doubt, according to NATO information services, is that “Putin has become more aggressive.” “Something has changed in the way Putin weighs the risks and targets,” a man from the information community said for CNN.

What does Romania do? “As long as Ukraine resists, Romania cannot be threatened on land,” say analysts consulted by Hotnews.

But the scenario in which Moscow forces come out of the conflict with Ukraine can lead to a direct threat, on land for Romania.

No alarmism but realistic evaluation based on military data

Military experts believe that “there is no alarming to discuss the Focșanilor Gate, in fact Romania is behind Poland or Baltic in the field of government information and the preparation of war.” There are, for example, the example of the textbooks made in the cited countries. It is not alarmism, therefore, they consider, but a question that the Romanians ask, logically: is it capable of defending, with or without the quick help of NATO?

Is the possibility that, in the case of a Russian invasion, part of Moldova may be lost so that the defense of Muntenia and Bucharest will be done in the “Focșanilor Gate”, as sometimes it appears in the public space?

Based on public data, but also multiple discussions with military specialists, who due to the subject's sensitivity have maintained their confidentiality, Hotnews outlines a map, on their own and figuratively, of the prospects that can affect our lives.

What is the “gate of the focșanilor” and why it is important

“Focșanilor Gate” is a corridor with the role of mobility of troops that represents a key defense point.

The “Focșanilor Gate” consists of a low piece of land that extends into four counties-Vrancea, Galați, Brăila and Buzău. It has a width of about 85 kilometers and goes deep about 60 kilometers and represents a key territorial structure, its lower land is friendly with tanks and favors the war of maneuver.

In theory, the corridor from Focșani (also called Bassarabian Gap, with a continuation in the southern area of ​​the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) has the character of potential battle field. It is a defense alignment to counteract a movement to the Muntenia area, to the Capital. On one side of the corridor are the Carpathian Mountains, on the other side is the Danube.

A 2019 simulation showed that Romania would fall in 24 hours without NATO's rapid support

Many international experts speak of the “Focșanilor Gate” as a vulnerable point of the Eastern NATO flank. This is both from the perspective of Romania to defend itself with modern technical means, as well as the current infrastructure deficiencies that would make the help of the Allies make it difficult.

“It is one of the most critical operational military lands in Romania. It serves as a funnel from the north and creates a fighter field conducive to the tanks. However, in the right circumstances, it can become an operational trap that leaves few escape possibilities,” a New Strategy Center study of 2019 said.

In a simulation made in 2019 by the Academy of Land Forces in Sibiu, and which was the basis of the New Strategy Center study, in order to protect this strategic point, NATO troops should arrive quickly, because Romania's armed forces would have been defeated from the first day of a possible confrontation with Russia.

What is overdue in the analysis of that time

The war scenario simulated under those conditions, however, provided for a Romania that at that time did not have the same technical and military facilities today, did not consider the development of infrastructure in the region that changed in the meantime, but did not have the NATO prepositions through the battles installed in the countries on the Eastern Flank.

“I assure you that no one abandoned Moldova in the event of a war”

The scenario, however, emphasizes a worrying strategy for a part of the population: abandoning much of Moldova and withdrawing the troops to install a defense on the Focșanilor Gate line, to stop an advance to the Capital.

A strategy, however, which is not anchored in real plans, say the experts with which Hotnews discussed.

“The idea that we give up the territories of Moldova and we groups to defend ourselves in the Focșanilor Gate is an old conception. It would not happen today, in any form. I assure you that no one abandoned Moldova in the event of a war. Defense starts from Prut,” he explained for the public, in the conversation with the editorial, a former military man.

“Of course, the area is a key point that allows effective defense, but the image of a fast and northeast terrestrial invasion, in which you do not have time to prepare and just retreat to the focus gate, is no longer current. The defense dimension is a much more complex one and it takes place after several scenarios,” says the former leader.

The example of Ukraine

The officer says the Ukraine war has shown how difficult it is for the Russian army, and for any army, to move and win the territory in the open field.

In other words, the scenario for Russian forces to cross Ukraine and Moldova so quickly and enter Romania without NATO notifying of time and preparing and sending reinforcements, is unlikely, considers our interlocutor.

“Certainly, on any front there are points where you concentrate forces, where you are defending. Mountain passers -by, critical areas of crossing watercourses, lagunar area, Focșanilor Gate, but that does not mean that you can automatically withdraw the rest of the territory,” explains the former chief of terrestrial troops.

Modern equipment for the units in the area: from Himars to Ghepard cannons. Also here will come newly purchased howitzers from Korea

The former military leader says that in the case of ground forces we can see how certain strategic units really have the basis in the area of ​​Focsanilor, but they could be quickly dislocated anywhere in the area.

For example, the new Himars tactical operative rocket battalions are based on Focșani, Bârlad and Ploiești. In Bârlad there are also battalions of Larom missile launchers.

In Focșani and Galați are the battalions of the MLI-84M1 “Jderul” infantry cars. And in Galați is the only battalion in the country with TR-85M1 tanks “Bizonul”, the most modern Romania has at this time.

Also in Focșani are the armored with anti -aircraft cannons, but also logistics and support units. In Braila there is a battalion equipped with anti -tank missiles and, in the future, K9 self -propelled howitzers will be stationed, recently purchased from Hanwha from South Korea.

“There are several scenarios, developed together with NATO, through which these units are arranged in the field as efficiently, depending on the nature of the situation,” the former leader of the terrestrial troops stresses.

“The mobility of the troops is a key element”

The high -ranking officer says that today's war is different, it is very based on technology, collecting information from drones, satellites or state -of -the -art aircraft, but also on effectors who can attack from a great distance.

For example, the new Himars armament systems entered in the endowment of the ground forces allow the attack of an enemy with great precision from a great distance, with a very long mobility. They offer a new dimension to the way Romania could defend themselves without focusing only in a certain place.

“The mobility of the troops is a key element if we want to talk about an effective defense all over the territory. Here, indeed, we have a problem that does not belong to the army-roads and bridges that cannot support certain equipment, railways, neck points,” the military leader considers.

According to him, the modernizations in the army of recent years would allow Romania to be able to defend themselves more efficiently, to be able to resist until they receive reinforcements from NATO allies in the event of a fast attack.

“But we can no longer discuss a quick attack, a surprising attack. We have a border war for 3 years, we know and prepare. And any attack means, first of all, an accumulation of troops, logistics, something that NATO can detect in time. Sure, many troops dislocated in the short time is a logistics challenge, which is not only in the last year, which is not in the last year, How and how quickly the allied troops can be mobilized, ”says the former head of the Ground Forces.

But the “Focșanilor Gate” is not the first line of defense. “Defense begins much further in the east,” say the specialists. Where and how, we will discuss plans and risks, tomorrow in Hotnews.