VOA新闻杂志2022--乌克兰人在独立日前保持警惕

Ukrainians on Alert¹ Ahead of Independence Day

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia increased this week ahead of both Ukraine's Independence Day and the six-month anniversary of the start of Russia's invasion.

Ukrainians are concerned about a Russian attack on civilian² targets ahead of the nation's Independence Day. Ukraine separated from the former Soviet³ Union in 1991. It celebrates the holiday on August 24.

In the capital city of Kyiv, military leaders banned large events celebrating the holiday until Thursday. They are concerned about an attack during both the Independence Day holiday and the six-month anniversary of Russia's invasion, which is also August 24.

Vlad Mudrak is a 26-year-old living in Kyiv. He said he understands the restrictions⁴. "Our country is having a very hard time," he said, "and we need to be careful."

In addition to a ban on public events, Kyiv city leaders have asked people to work from their homes when possible. They are saying to take any attack warnings they hear seriously.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said any attacks by Russia during the holiday would be met with a strong response. He also said Ukraine would continue to push to reunify Crimea, a region taken over by Russia in 2014.

In a conversation with leaders and international agencies working in support of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, "It is necessary to liberate⁵ Crimea."

The acting⁶ prime minister of Italy, Mario Draghi, told the group that his country would continue to support Ukraine. Draghi said, "We are with you in your fight to resist Russia's invasion."

The United States has warned any American citizens still in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible due to concerns about an attack. On Monday, the U.S. State Department said it recently received information that Russia planned to increase attacks on non-military targets.

Tensions between leaders in Moscow and Kyiv are higher than usual this week for other reasons, as well.

Russia says Ukraine is responsible for the death of Darya Dugina, the daughter of an ally⁷ of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dugina was killed by a car bomb last weekend. Her father, Alexander Dugin, is a well-known political writer who has supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Hundreds of people gathered to remember Dugina on Tuesday at a memorial service. Observers say that she may have been killed by mistake and that her father was the true target of the bomb.

Ukrainian leaders say they were not responsible for the attack.

As Russia's war in Ukraine reaches its sixth month, the international community continues to keep an eye on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine. Leaders of the United States, France, Germany and Great Britain recently met to discuss their concerns about the nuclear energy production center and the fighting going on nearby. They urged United Nations officials to visit the plant.

The nearby fighting has many people worried about a possible release of dangerous radiation. The plant is under Russian control but continues to be operated by Ukrainian workers.

One major concern is that nearby fighting could result in electricity being cut, which might prevent the nuclear plant from operating normally.

Words in This Story

alert–n. the state of being ready for something, such as an attack

tension –n. a feeling of nervousness that makes it hard to relax, a feeling of anger between two groups

radiation –n. a type of powerful energy that can be dangerous, produced by radioactive⁸ substances and nuclear reactions

response –n. something done as a reaction to something else

1 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 liberate   

v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由

参考例句：

• They did their best to liberate slaves.他们尽最大能力去解放奴隶。
• This will liberate him from economic worry.这将消除他经济上的忧虑。

6 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

7 ally   

n.同盟者，同盟国；vt.使结盟，与...有关联

参考例句：

• In that war England was not an ally,she was neutral.在那场战争中，英国不同任何一国结盟，保持中立。
• She felt she needed an ally so badly.她感到她极需一个支持者。

8 radioactive   

adj.放射性的

参考例句：

• People should keep away from the radioactive waste.人们应远离放射性废物。
• The radioactive material is stored in a special radiation-proof container.放射性材料储存在防辐射的特殊容器里。