Izmail

Izmail (Ukrainian: Ізмаїл, pronounced [izmɐˈjil] ; Russian: Измаил; Romanian: Ismail, Smil or Smeilu; Bulgarian: Исмаил) is a city and municipality on the Danube river in Odesa Oblast in south-western Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Izmail Raion, one of seven districts of Odesa Oblast, and is the only locality which constitutes Izmail urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. In Russian historiography, Izmail is associated with the 18th century storming of the Ottoman fortress of Izmail by Russian general Alexander Suvorov. It was the capital of Izmail Oblast, but it is no longer, as Izmail Oblast joined Odesa Oblast in 1954. The city was previously also known as Tuchkov. It is the largest Ukrainian port in the Danube Delta, on its Chilia branch. It is also the largest city of the Ukrainian Budjak area. As such, Izmail is a center of the food processing industry and a popular regional tourist destination. It is also a base of the Ukrainian Navy and the Ukrainian Sea Guard units operating on the river. The World Wildlife Fund's Isles of Izmail Regional Landscape Park is located nearby. Population: 69,932 (2022 estimate).