Elistanzhi (russian: Элистанжи, ce, Элистанжа, ''Elistanƶa'') is a

rural locality In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...

(a '' selo'') in

Vedensky District Vedensky District (russian: Веде́нский райо́н; ce, Веданан кӏошт, ''Vedanan khoşt'') is an administrativeDecree #500 and municipalLaw #14-RZ district (raion), one of the fifteen in the Chechen Republic, Russia. It is ...

Chechnya Chechnya ( rus, Чечня́, Chechnyá, p=tɕɪtɕˈnʲa; ce, Нохчийчоь, Noxçiyçö), officially the Chechen Republic,; ce, Нохчийн Республика, Noxçiyn Respublika is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the ...

Administrative and municipal status

Municipally, Elistanzhi is incorporated as Elistanzhinskoye rural settlement. It is the administrative center of the municipality and the only settlement included in it.

Geography

Map of Vedensky District (rural settlements)

Elistanzhi is located on the left bank of the Elistanzhi River. It is located west of the village of

Vedeno Vedeno (russian: Ведено; ce, Ведана, ''Vedana'') is a rural locality (a '' selo'') and the administrative center of Vedensky District, Chechnya. Administrative and municipal status Municipally, Vedeno is incorporated into Vedens ...

. The nearest settlements to Elistanzhi are

Tsa-Vedeno Tsa-Vedeno (russian: Ца-Ведено, ce, ЦӀен Ведана, ''Ċen Vedana'') is a rural locality (a '' selo'') in Vedensky District, Chechnya. Administrative and municipal status Municipally, Tsa-Vedeno is incorporated into Tsa-Veden ...

and Verkhatoy in the north-east,

and

Zelamkhin-Kotar Zelamkhin-Kotar ( ce, Зеламхин-КӀотар, ''Zelamxin-Khotar''; russian: Октябрьское), also known by Russian name Oktyabrskoye, is a rural locality (a '' selo'') in Vedensky District, Chechnya. Administrative and municipal st ...

in the east,

Eshilkhatoy Eshilkhatoy (russian: Эшилхатой, ce, Эшилхата, ''Eşilxata'') is a rural locality (a '' selo'') in Vedensky District, Chechnya. Administrative and municipal status Municipally, Eshilkhatoy is incorporated into Vedenskoye rur ...

in the south-east, and Khattuni and Tevzana in the west.

History

The name of Elistanzhi was originally based on the Chechen clan Elsoy, and the village was called Elsanchu. However, the name was later distorted by Russians, who called the village Elistanzhi. In 1944, after the genocide and deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people and the

Chechen-Ingush ASSR The Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic; inh, Нохч-ГӀалгӀай Автономе Советий Социализма Республика, Noxç-Ġalġay Avtonome Sovetiy Socializma Respublika; russian: Чече́но-И ...

was abolished, the village of Elistanzhi was renamed to Tando, and settled by people from the neighboring republic of

Dagestan Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North C ...

. From 1944 to 1957, it was a part of the Vedensky District of the

Dagestan ASSR The Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic av, Дагъистаналъул Автономияб Советияб Социалистияб Жумгьурият az, Дағыстан Мухтар Совет Сосиалист Республи ...

. In 1958, after the Vaynakh people returned and the Chechen-Ingush ASSR was restored, the village regained its old Chechen name, Elistanzha.

Elistanzhi in the Chechen Wars

On 7 October 1999, two Russian

Sukhoi Su-24 The Sukhoi Su-24 ( NATO reporting name: Fencer) is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. The aircraft has a variable-sweep wing, twin-engines and a side-by-side seating arrangement for its crew of two. It wa ...

fighter bombers A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...

dropped several cluster bombs onto Elistanzhi. The attack killed at least 34 people, including nine children, who died when a bomb hit the local school. It was later discovered that the village was undefended and no separatist militants has been present in the village at the time of the attack.

Population

* 2002 Census: 1,878 * 2010 Census: 2,570 * 2019 estimate: 2,783 According to the results of the 2010 Census, the majority of residents of Elistanzhi were ethnic Chechens.

References

{{Authority control Rural localities in Vedensky District