Etymology

operational encirclement

Today it means: a situation of (partial) encirclement where the besieged forces are not yet in imminent danger of destruction or capture, but are unable to organize adequate defence for a longer period of time, especially in such a way that there remains a connection to the rear, which the enemy however can cover with precise artillery fire, severely hampering supply. Full definition →

Russian оперативное окружение
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The story

  1. Russian · calque ofоперативное окружение
  2. English todayoperational encirclement

Chiefly a calque of Russian оперативное окружение (operativnoje okruženije). In frequent use since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war, but already before most usage seems to have been in reference to Russia and the Soviet Union.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.