美国国家公共电台 NPR--What Russia's claim on the capture of Soledar means for Ukraine

What Russia's claim on the capture of Soledar means for Ukraine

Transcript¹

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Sergey Radchenko of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies about Russia's claim to have captured the eastern Ukrainian town of Soledar.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Over the weekend, deadly Russian airstrikes hit multiple cities in Ukraine. The air attacks come as fierce fighting rages in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russia claims to have captured the salt mining town of Soledar, a claim that Ukrainian officials dispute. To break down Russia's military goals, we have Sergey Radchenko, a professor of Russian history at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He joins us from Davos, Switzerland. Good morning.

SERGEY RADCHENKO: Morning to you.

FADEL: So let's first discuss the significance of Soledar. What makes this town strategically important to Russia's military goals?

RADCHENKO: Well, it is important because it will allow the Russians to capture another town that has been the center of fighting recently, the town of Bakhmut. But it's more important, I think, symbolically² than it is strategically because this is the town where the forces of Wagner, headed by Putin's so-called chef, Yevgeny Prigozhin, are trying to prove that they're actually capable of taking back or taking territory from the Ukrainians. So it is really - you know, the capture of this town is a question of a struggle for power within the Russian military establishment and the Russian political elites³, more than even - more than the strategic aspect of it.

FADEL: And it's exposed some rifts⁵, right? I mean, this possible capture has shown that the head of the Wagner Group has actually said, well, we're not getting the credit we deserve.

RADCHENKO: Well, he has really come to the fore⁶, Yevgeny Prigozhin has, in recent months. Before that, he was really in the shadow. You know, Wagner was pursuing military activities in Africa and in Syria. And suddenly, they're playing this role in Ukraine, where the Russian military are suffering defeats. And it seems to be that it's like - you know, for Prigozhin, it's part of his political campaign to establish himself, to position himself for the inevitable⁷ power struggle that will follow Putin's exit, whenever this happens.

FADEL: Now, what does that rift⁴ mean militarily then? I mean, President Putin has just appointed a new top general to run Russia's Armed Forces and the war in Ukraine. Why a new commander now? Is this part of that struggle?

RADCHENKO: Well, a new commander, I think, is needed ahead of big operations that the Russians are intending to carry out in Ukraine come spring. It's clear that both Ukrainians and Russians are planning large-scale offensive operations, and this is part of the planning process, I think. On the other hand, it is also an effort to move the chairs around as Putin plays the power game, which involves, of course, the military in the one side, Prigozhin and Wagner on the other side and so on and so forth⁸. I don't think it is a particularly significant move, but it is part of that general atmosphere of political struggle at the Kremlin and also Putin's preparation for the offensive operations.

FADEL: Will the Russian military be able to solve its problems that it's seen in Ukraine - training, equipping its forces? I mean, this originally was supposed to be a short war, according to Putin. And here we are, a year in almost.

RADCHENKO: Russia is facing grave problems, in particular with ammunition⁹, as it continues its brutal¹⁰ war against Ukraine. Putin has declared mobilization and brought in 300,000 recruits. And it seems that this mobilization will continue if these recruits are used up, so to speak, in the fighting. He is determined¹¹ to continue the war. He's determined to bring in as many people as he can afford - and he can afford many because Russia is a big country. And, of course, there's also the big question of whether Russian military industry is going to be able to catch up with the requirements of war. And the verdict is still out on this. The verdict is still out. The Russians are bringing weapons and ammunition from other countries, especially from Iran and North Korea. We'll see if those efforts succeed. But it is very important at this stage to continue supporting the Ukrainian effort, for our part, to make sure that we can counter this Russian offensive.

FADEL: That's Sergey Radchenko of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Thank you.

RADCHENKO: Thank you for having me.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

California continues to get drenched¹² by storms.

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 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

3 elites   

精华( elite的名词复数 )； 精锐； 上层集团； （统称）掌权人物

参考例句：

• The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
• Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。

4 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

5 rifts   

n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和

参考例句：

• After that, through the rifts in the inky clouds sparkled redder and yet more luminous particles. 然后在几条墨蓝色云霞的隙缝里闪出几个更红更亮的小片。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• The Destinies mend rifts in time as man etches fate. 当人类想要再次亵渎命运的时候，命运及时修正了这些裂痕。 来自互联网

6 fore   

adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部

参考例句：

• Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
• I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。

7 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 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。

10 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

11 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

12 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》