The first of Ukraine's fallen soldiers are starting to come home

The first of Ukraine's fallen soldiers are starting to come home

Transcript¹

The Ukrainian military isn't releasing the number of soldiers who have died in the war with Russia. Viktor Dudar, a journalist who joined Ukraine's military, was among the first to be killed.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The Ukrainian military isn't releasing the number of soldiers they've lost in the fight with Russia. That's what they said when we asked. But a U.S. defense² analyst³ estimates more than 1,500 were killed in just the first five days of this war. And across Ukraine, fallen soldiers are beginning to come home. Here in Lviv, at a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, hundreds gathered to receive the bodies of two men killed on the front lines in Russia's war on Ukraine. Outside the church, six soldiers lift one ornate, wooden coffin⁴ onto their shoulders. They carry Viktor Dudar, a journalist turned soldier. He was 44.

(SOUNDBITE OF MARCHING)

FADEL: Another six men lift a second coffin, Ivan Koverznev, a 24-year-old lieutenant⁵. Inside, everyone kneels. Men in uniform lead the procession with two crosses, one for Viktor, the other for Ivan. Coffins⁶ are carried in behind them, and then the families follow.

UNIDENTIFIED PRIEST #1: (Singing in non-English language).

FADEL: Holy God, Holy Mighty⁷, a priest sings - Holy Immortal⁸, have mercy on us. The mourners look on, flowers in their hands.

UNIDENTIFIED PRIEST #1: (Singing in non-English language).

FADEL: Four a priest perform the funeral service. And then one begins to speak of the slain⁹ men.

UNIDENTIFIED PRIEST #2: (Non-English language spoken).

FADEL: After eight years of war, he says, they will join the army in heaven. Even there, those killed will continue to fight for their homeland. On each side of the coffins, the families of the men listen stoically, making the sign of the cross in unison¹⁰ with the hundreds who came to mourn with them.

(SOUNDBITE OF CENSER JINGLING)

FADEL: One of the priests swings the censer above the two coffins, praying for their salvation¹¹. The smoke billows, infusing the air with the sweet smell of frankincense.

(SOUNDBITE OF CENSER JINGLING)

FADEL: Everyone follows the pallbearers out into the street...

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

FADEL: ...Where two vans are waiting to take the caskets to the cemetery¹².

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

FADEL: The procession continues at Lviv's historic cemetery, past the sculptures adorning¹³ the graves of Ukrainian cultural and political icons¹⁴, down to a section where Ukrainian forces killed in conflict with Russia are buried. It continues to the two plots where the men will be laid to rest.

(SOUNDBITE OF GUNSHOTS)

FADEL: Soldiers deliver a 21-gun salute¹⁵ as the bodies are lowered into the ground. Relatives wail¹⁶.

(CRYING)

FADEL: A woman cries out to God. Another sobs¹⁷, my child.

(CRYING)

FADEL: Haltingly, the mourners sing Ukraine's national anthem¹⁸.

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Singing in non-English language).

FADEL: It's the final goodbye.

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Praying in non-English language).

(SOUNDBITE OF SHOVEL¹⁹ DIGGING)

FADEL: A journalist colleague of Viktor's pulls me aside to share a video, Viktor's last toast in their newsroom.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

VIKTOR DUDAR: (Non-English language spoken).

FADEL: He says, believe in yourself. Be strong. And support the armed forces of Ukraine.

(CROSSTALK)

FADEL: Mykola Saveliev looks on in uniform. Eight days ago, he says, he was the editor of a newspaper called Town Hall (ph).

MYKOLA SAVELIEV: (Through interpreter) I'm your colleague.

FADEL: You're my colleague.

SAVELIEV: (Non-English language spoken).

FADEL: Viktor was his friend, a fellow journalist and his comrade in arms.

SAVELIEV: (Through interpreter) They let me go to visit this funeral of my friend, Viktor Dudar.

FADEL: His friend was killed in the Mykolaiv region in the south of Ukraine. He says the Russians were laying in wait when Viktor's unit arrived.

SAVELIEV: (Through interpreter) Viktor's group went forward. But my son-in-law got behind.

(Non-English language spoken).

UNIDENTIFIED INTERPRETER: (Non-English language spoken).

SAVELIEV: (Non-English language spoken).

UNIDENTIFIED INTERPRETER: He's saying that along with Viktor, dozens of soldiers died, too.

SAVELIEV: (Through interpreter) A lot of people are going to be buried in Lviv region.

FADEL: Soldiers aren't the only ones being slain. Russian forces have killed hundreds of civilians²⁰. Mykola calls it a war crime.

SAVELIEV: (Through interpreter) And I want to add that I'm not ready to die. But I'm ready to kill right now.

FADEL: Is Viktor the first friend that you've lost in this war?

He gestures to the graves behind him, fighters killed from 2014 on.

SAVELIEV: (Through interpreter) You can see all those crosses? Those people died. And every fifth person, I knew personally.

FADEL: At Viktor's graveside, his wife, Oksana, stands with their daughter. In Oksana's arms, she carries the folded flags that draped her husband's casket.

If you could just tell me about Viktor?

OKSANA: (Through interpreter) I met Viktor when we were students. And he was always kind.

FADEL: They were always together. And there was only one day in their lives He didn't call, the first time he fought against the Russians eight years ago.

And this time, did he volunteer to go back? And did you ask him not to?

OKSANA: (Through interpreter) Yes, he went as a volunteer. But I didn't say no to that because I knew that even if I would say that, you cannot really change his mind if he feels he would go. In order to support him, once I said it's better to be a widow of the hero than the wife of the person who is afraid.

FADEL: Yeah.

OKSANA: (Through interpreter) I was crying a lot before. But today, I was standing²¹. And I was proud of this. And I know that he wanted because he was saying so many times, it's better to die in the fight.

FADEL: Wooden crosses stand in the soil where Viktor and Ivan are buried. Next to them, three open graves. Three more soldiers will be put to rest tonight.

(SOUNDBITE OF ANGUS MACRAE'S "CRY WOLF")

1 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。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

4 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

5 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

6 coffins   

n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物

参考例句：

• The shop was close and hot, and the atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. 店堂里相当闷热，空气仿佛被棺木的味儿污染了。 来自辞典例句
• Donate some coffins to the temple, equal to the number of deaths. 到寺庙里，捐赠棺材盒给这些死者吧。 来自电影对白

7 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

8 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

9 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

10 unison   

n.步调一致，行动一致

参考例句：

• The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。
• My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。

11 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

12 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

13 adorning   

修饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• Many have gems adorning their foreheads, and gold bands on their arms. 许多人在前额上挂着宝石，手臂上戴着金饰。
• The commandments, or rules, are like pure white pearls adorning the wearer. （喻）戒律洁白，可以庄严人身，好像晶莹可爱的宝珠。

14 icons   

n.偶像( icon的名词复数 )；（计算机屏幕上表示命令、程序的）符号，图像

参考例句：

• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons. 用图标来区分重要的文本项。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Daemonic icons should only be employed persistently if they provide continuous, useful status information. 只有会连续地提供有用状态信息的情况下，后台应用程序才应该一直使用图标。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

15 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

16 wail   

vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸

参考例句：

• Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
• One of the small children began to wail with terror.小孩中的一个吓得大哭起来。

17 sobs   

啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
• She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。

18 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

19 shovel   

n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出

参考例句：

• He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。
• He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。

20 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。

21 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。