MH17被击落一年仍影响着乌克兰危机

One Year Later, MH17 Downing Still Impacts Ukraine Crisis MH17被击落一年仍影响着乌克兰危机

LONDON—

A year after 298 people died when Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine allegedly shot down a Malaysian passenger jet on July 17, 2014, the tragic² incident still hangs over the ongoing³ conflict.

The Malaysia Airlines jumbo jet was on a routine flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, when a missile turned it into burned out wreckage⁴ scattered⁵ across farm fields in a separatist-controlled area.

The passengers and crew members from 10 countries became victims of a conflict they had nothing to do with.  Their deaths did not end the war, but they did change it.

“I believe that it was an important turning point, because it rallied all Europeans behind an escalation⁶ of the sanctions,” says Domitilla Sagramoso of King’s College, referring to punitive⁷ measures imposed on Russia for its alleged¹ involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

Experts reached via Skype said European countries had been reluctant to confront Russia over its role in eastern Ukraine, but that changed when the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 went down.

“The tragedy really did influence everyone’s thinking on how we could sort of go further with Russia,” Sarah Lain of Britain’s Royal United Services Institute says.

The sanctions and diplomacy⁸ that grew out of the tragedy also did not end the conflict, but they may have helped prevent a further escalation, Sagramoso says.

“This, I think, explains why the situation now is not ideal, but it has not yet escalated⁹ further,” Sagramoso says.

Negotiations¹⁰ in Minsk, spearheaded by the French and German leaders, led to a shaky cease-fire. But Western and Ukrainian officials say Russia, despite continued denials from Moscow, continues to supply and train the rebels. Lain says the situation has put Russia in a tough spot.

“You are seeing now that Russia itself may not know actually how to get out of this situation,” Lain says.

Some say the situation in eastern Ukraine is a "frozen conflict," but others, including Sagramoso, warn it could flare¹¹ up again easily.

“If there is another accident of any sort involving civilians¹² on either side, of the kind we saw with the Boeing [aircraft], then we might see a significant escalation and a significant change,” Sagramoso says.

Several countries, including the Netherlands — most of the tragedy’s victims were Dutch — have called for the creation of an international tribunal to bring those who were involved in the jet’s downing to justice. Russia has called the initiative “premature and counterproductive.”

The Netherlands is leading a criminal investigation¹³ into the downing of MH17. A final report on the cause of the crash is due in October.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

5 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

6 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

7 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

8 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

9 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

11 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

12 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。

13 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。