美国国家公共电台 NPR--Russia and Ukraine are receiving new weaponry that could shape the war

Russia and Ukraine are receiving new weaponry that could shape the war

Transcript¹

There's a growing expectation that Ukraine and Russia are headed for an escalation² on the battlefield in the near future. This comes as both sides are receiving new supplies of weaponry.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Ukrainians, Russians and independent analysts³ are all suggesting the war in Ukraine may escalate⁴ soon. One reason they think that is that both countries are receiving new weapons from their allies. NPR national security correspondent Greg Myre has been covering this war all along. He's on the line. Greg, good morning.

GREG MYRE, BYLINE⁵: Good morning, Steve.

INSKEEP: When we talk about new weapons from allies, of course, we include NATO allies announcing a large weapons package for Ukraine. How is that likely to affect the war?

MYRE: Right. So the U.S. and NATO allies announced in Germany last week what appears to be the biggest single package since the war began. And the focus is really on two key areas. The first is more air defense⁶, which Ukraine needs to guard against these persistent⁷ Russian missile strikes against the electricity grid⁸. And the second part of this is really armored vehicles. The U.S. alone says it's going to send more than 500 of them. This would be crucial for Ukraine to carry out a ground offensive. And as we've heard, Ukraine has been pleading for tanks, says it needs a couple hundred. Britain agreed last week to send about a dozen or so. But the U.S. and Germany, who have the best tanks in the world, have not agreed to send them yet, though it's still under debate.

INSKEEP: Nonetheless, the Ukrainians are getting more weapons. The Russians seem to be gathering⁹ up weapons from North Korea. What's going on?

MYRE: Yeah, the White House says that Russian leader Vladimir Putin sent trains to North Korea in November. They were loaded with weapons and ammunition¹⁰ and then had to travel thousands of miles to be delivered to Russian fighters in Ukraine. Now, I spoke¹¹ about this with Doug Lute¹². He's a retired¹³ U.S. Army lieutenant¹⁴ general who also served as the U.S. ambassador to NATO. Now, he noted¹⁵ all the speculation¹⁶ that we've heard about Western support for Ukraine possibly waning¹⁷ over time, but that hasn't happened. He pointed¹⁸ that 50 countries took part in these talks in Germany last week, where they supported Ukraine and pledged all these additional weapons.

DOUGLAS LUTE: And at the same time, on whom is Putin relying for support? North Korea, OK, with a couple trains of ammunition - right? - and Iran, by way of sort of Home Depot-quality drones. I mean, the contrast here is really sharp.

MYRE: And Lute adds that this is just one of several trend lines currently pointing in Ukraine's favor.

INSKEEP: We should just note, though, more weapons, more ammunition could change the war, but could also just lead to a World War I kind of stalemate where millions of shells are fired across the lines. Is there anything on the horizon that would more certainly change the trajectory¹⁹ of the war?

MYRE: Well, without trying to see the future with crystal clear vision, we are hearing from Ukrainians and Russians, as you noted, that they're likely to launch a new offensive as we get toward the end of winter or early spring. And in particular, we're hearing that we should keep an eye on Crimea, the peninsula at the southern tip of Ukraine.

INSKEEP: What makes that such a vital place?

MYRE: Well, you know, the Russians seized Ukraine - Crimea back at the beginning of the war in 2014. They're well-entrenched there. But if Ukraine could cut off supply lines to Crimea, even if they don't attack Crimea directly, it would leave Russian forces very, very vulnerable.

INSKEEP: NPR's Greg Myre. Thanks so much.

MYRE: My pleasure.

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 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

5 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。

6 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。

7 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

8 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

9 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

10 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。

11 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。

12 lute   

n.琵琶，鲁特琴

参考例句：

• He idly plucked the strings of the lute.他漫不经心地拨弄着鲁特琴的琴弦。
• He knows how to play the Chinese lute.他会弹琵琶。

13 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

14 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。

15 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

16 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

17 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

19 trajectory   

n.弹道，轨道

参考例句：

• It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
• The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。