The Russian invasion of Ukraine is creating an exodus of civilians seeking safety

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is creating an exodus¹ of civilians² seeking safety

Transcript³

NPR's Rachel Martin spoke⁴ to Dariia Hirna, a Ukrainian journalist and a human rights activists⁶, as she tried to flee the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in her car.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The Russian invasion is creating an exodus of Ukrainians. With a population of over 40 million, the number of those displaced is growing. Yesterday, I reconnected with a woman I met in Kyiv a few weeks ago. She's a journalist and human rights activist⁵ named Dariia Hirna. She talked to me from her car, as she and her husband were trying to leave the capital city.

DARIIA HIRNA: Me and my husband, we are now about to leave Kyiv. It's our second try. And we are on our way to leave to my hometown.

MARTIN: So you say this is your second time trying to leave the capital city. Why didn't the first time work?

HIRNA: Because it was, like, huge traffic. So it was really impossible. And now we are not sure that we will do that because we see the Google Maps, and it actually shows us that it's all red.

MARTIN: Why did you decide that now was the time to pick up and go?

HIRNA: Now we see that it, like, got very tense, so it's not safe to stay there. And the shelter that the city council have proposed us, it's - not look safe. There is not any necessary, like, bathroom or a toilet. So we don't see any chance we can, like, spend here our night safely.

MARTIN: Can you say more about what this has meant to have this attack actually happen?

HIRNA: It feels really horrible. And it was, like, scariest day of my life, I would say. I never felt anything like this before. And it's really hard times for Ukraine. And I really hope that the international community, our partners, will help Ukraine.

MARTIN: You are trying to get to your parents' house, closer in the West. What are they telling you?

HIRNA: They're really nervous right now because, actually, they had to go to my hometown this weekend because I was going to become a mother in God for my nephew. And...

MARTIN: A godmother, yeah.

HIRNA: Yeah, a godmother. And now, like, we won't be able to do that, obviously.

MARTIN: Is there anything else you think we should know about what you're seeing or what you're feeling?

HIRNA: The thing is, Ukrainian nation doesn't want to be with Russia in any union. We don't want them here. We want to decide our future by ourselves. And I just can say to all the Russian people that - just get out of Ukraine, you know? Like, it's a huge catastrophe⁷ that is going on right now.

(SOUNDBITE OF ESPERANZA'S "AUTUMN LEAF")

MARTIN: Ukrainian journalist Dariia Hirna. We spoke with her as she and her husband were trying to escape from the capital city Kyiv.

(SOUNDBITE OF ESPERANZA'S "AUTUMN LEAF")

1 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。