Russian warship is damaged but Ukraine and Russia offer different explanations

Russian warship¹ is damaged but Ukraine and Russia offer different explanations

Transcript²

Ukraine says a Russian warship in the Black Sea has been "seriously damaged" by a Ukrainian missile attack. Russia's Ministry³ of Defense⁴ tells a different story.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Ukrainian officials are claiming that a Russian warship in the Black Sea was seriously damaged by a Ukrainian missile attack on Wednesday. There is another version, though, of this story. Russia's Ministry of Defence tells a different story of a fire on the missile cruiser that caused ammunition⁵ on board to explode. Neither version of these events can be independently confirmed, but both involve a seriously damaged and abandoned Russian warship. Joining us now from near the port city of Odesa, Ukraine, is NPR's Brian Mann. Hey there, Brian.

BRIAN MANN, BYLINE⁶: Hi, Steve.

INSKEEP: What have you learned?

MANN: Well, from both sides, as you're hearing from the Russian and Ukrainian officials we're hearing from today, it sounds like the Moskva was substantially damaged. It did have to be evacuated⁷. This is a large vessel⁸, roughly 500 crew members. And neither story is very favorable to the Russians. They say that there was some kind of accidental fire on board that did reach munitions⁹. They say the fire was eventually contained - but, again, a full evacuation of their crew. What the Ukrainians say, officials here near Odesa, where I am now - they say that they launched a couple of Neptune¹⁰ ship cruise missiles at this vessel and struck it successfully. They're claiming that as a major victory over a ship that they've been wanting to target throughout this conflict.

INSKEEP: Well, let's think through the significance of this. This is a guided missile cruiser. It's got 16, as I understand it, cruise missiles on board. They're ship-to-ship cruise missiles, but you can fire them at land. I've seen videos in recent days of cruise missiles being fired from Russian ships onto land targets. So how significant is it that, one way or another, it was knocked out of action?

MANN: Well, here again, there are differing accounts. What the Ukrainians say is that this takes out of action roughly 1 in 5 cruise missiles that the Russians had available from Black Sea vessels¹¹. If that's accurate, that's some percentage of their strike force that's reduced. But there is, Steve, also a symbolic¹² role here. You'll remember that there was this moment early in this fight when the Moskva, the ship, confronted people on an island and demand that they surrender. The people on the island told them in polite terms, to go to hell, and that's become kind of a rallying cry. So for this vessel to be damaged - again, whether it's from a Ukrainian missile or because of some kind of operator error aboard the vessel - this is a symbolic moment for the Ukrainian side, a morale-building moment. And again, in a fight where the Russians have had debacle after debacle in terms of, you know, public perception, not a good moment. So some impact, perhaps, on the military side. But, also on the public relations side in this war, a significant moment.

INSKEEP: Yeah, I just want to underline that even if the Russian version of this is true, that's a matter of incompetence¹³. That's a matter for which somebody would be probably prosecuted¹⁴. I mean, fires break out, but you're supposed to contain them, and you're also supposed to keep your ammunition safe. A warship that's not been hit by enemy fire blowing up like this...

MANN: Yeah.

INSKEEP: ...Is in no case a good thing. So how does this fit into the broader situation on the ground where you are in Ukraine?

MANN: You know, the Russians, as we know, have been regrouping. There have been moments of incompetence throughout for the Russians. So, again, you're right - this fits into that very ugly narrative¹⁵ for them. But they are pushing forward again. We've heard of Russian advances around Mariupol, also attacks on Kharkiv. And so the fighting continues. The village where I am right now, people are tense. There are checkpoints here. So, you know, this war is pressing forward despite symbolic moments like this for Ukraine.

INSKEEP: People keep waiting for a heavier Russian advance from the east heading west, correct?

MANN: That's absolutely correct. And there has been continued fighting, but so far, we haven't seen that big push yet.

INSKEEP: Brian, thanks for the update. Really appreciate it.

MANN: Thanks, Steve.

INSKEEP: NPR's Brian Mann is outside Odesa, Ukraine.

1 warship   

n.军舰，战舰

参考例句：

• He is serving on a warship in the Pacific.他在太平洋海域的一艘军舰上服役。
• The warship was making towards the pier.军舰正驶向码头。

2 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。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 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。

5 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

8 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

9 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。

10 Neptune   

n.海王星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun.海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Neptune turned out to be a dynamic,stormy world.海王星原来是个有生气、多风暴的世界。

11 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

13 incompetence   

n.不胜任，不称职

参考例句：

• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
• She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得，本是老板无能，但她却成了替罪羊。

14 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

15 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。