美国国家公共电台 NPR--Work goes on inside a Ukrainian nuclear power plant amid threats of Russian bombs

Work goes on inside a Ukrainian nuclear power plant amid threats of Russian bombs

Transcript¹

Andriy Tuz was at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant when it came under Russian control in March. Now in Switzerland, Tuz talks about work and life at the complex under Russian occupation.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

International inspectors² have not been able to secure a nuclear power plant occupied by Russian troops. It is still in a battle zone.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We've seen images of this plant since the start of the war in Ukraine. Russian soldiers, you may recall, fought their way in. They're now defending that area as Ukrainian troops push back. During all of that time, the plant has been operating. Civilians³ go to work there every day.

MARTIN: NPR's Ashley Westerman talked to a former employee of the nuclear power plant who worked there for months after Russians took it over, and she joins us now. Ashley, introduce us to this person.

ASHLEY WESTERMAN, BYLINE⁴: Yeah. So I spoke⁵ with 32-year-old Andriy Tuz. He's a 10-year veteran at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and has done a number of jobs throughout the years. But last year, he got an offer to join the PR team as deputy, and he said yes. And then he actually became head of PR on February 24. And he says everything changed on March 3, when Russian tanks started rolling through the plant's checkpoints.

MARTIN: And he was there, right?

WESTERMAN: Yes. Or rather, he was home in Enerhordar, which is the village closest to the plant. The village was attacked on March 3 and then the plant that night.

ANDRIY TUV: (Through interpreter) There was shooting. Not only the tanks were shooting, I also saw some incoming missiles above the city. Heard explosions - they sounded just like the crackle of fireworks.

WESTERMAN: And there were dozens of military vehicles about. And Tuv says many of the plant's buildings were hit by gunfire that night. And while it was scary, he and others who worked there actually figured they were in the safest place because they couldn't imagine either side attacking the area.

MARTIN: Wow. I can't imagine the stress of that. I mean, what did he tell you about working at the plant?

WESTERMAN: Tuv says that in the first days, even the first months, the Russians did not interfere⁶ in their work. They weren't allowed in their workplace or to approach the staff. But then things changed.

TUV: (Through interpreter) Russian soldiers started making the rounds and were forcing their way to the workplaces of the Ukrainian staff.

WESTERMAN: He says it's not like they were interfering⁷ in the day-to-day operations, Rachel. But just having those soldiers around had a big psychological impact on the workers and their families. It's just a big emotional upheaval⁸. And he says the plant went from some 11,500 personnel before the war down to 1,200, to 1,800 now, which has put even more pressure on those who have decided⁹ to stay.

MARTIN: Yeah, I imagine. Has any of this affected¹⁰ the actual operation of the plant?

WESTERMAN: So the plant, he says, has been running. The water stayed on, but there is no internet and very, very little phone service. But what's most problematic is that the Russians have also parked and moved a lot of military equipment and munitions¹¹ in or near the complex.

TUV: (Through interpreter) Tanks and military vehicles were also constantly moving. Sometimes they were next to the power units. The staff didn't know what to do. They had their rounds to make. They needed to check the equipment, but there was a tank right in front of it.

WESTERMAN: Tuv's went to work every day for four months, but things just got progressively worse and worse as time went on.

MARTIN: And he has since escaped Ukraine. Does he still keep in contact with people he knew who are working at the plant?

WESTERMAN: Yes, and he's actually now in Switzerland. He says he still keeps in touch with his fellow workers at the plant.

TUV: (Through interpreter) They're made to stay at their workplace overtime¹² during shelling. They don't have normal work schedule, and much fewer people are available now. They don't have backup in case someone gets ill. There's enough staff, but it's much more difficult for them to perform their duties.

WESTERMAN: He says people are scared, and they want to leave. But he calls them heroes for ensuring the safety of the plant under such pressure. And Tuv says the only right thing to keep the plant safe and the thousands still working inside is to demilitarize the plant altogether.

MARTIN: NPR's Ashley Westerman reporting from Lviv. Thank you so much, Ashley.

WESTERMAN: Thank you.

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 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

7 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

8 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

11 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。

12 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。