What does Ukraine need to continue its fight against Russia?

What does Ukraine need to continue its fight against Russia?

Transcript¹

How can the U.S. help Ukraine's air defense²? The U.S. turned aside one plan to send Ukraine's planes. The Pentagon said the country has planes, and need anti-aircraft missiles more.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Vice³ President Kamala Harris is in Poland meeting with that country's president. This morning, she addressed the hospital attack.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: We have been witnessing for weeks atrocities⁴ of unimaginable proportion - a maternity⁵ hospital, a children's hospital, where we have witnessed pregnant women who were there for care for one reason being taken out because they required care because of an act of violence - unprovoked, unjustified.

FADEL: One of the big questions has been what further support the U.S. and Poland will provide Ukraine and whether fighter jets would be part of that. NPR's Tom Bowman covers the Pentagon and joins me now. Good morning, Tom.

TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE⁶: Good morning.

FADEL: So, Tom, you've spoken this week with a highly placed Ukrainian defense official. What is Ukraine saying are its greatest military needs?

BOWMAN: Well, they say they need both warplanes and sophisticated air defense systems. We learned earlier this week about an offer from Poland to deliver Russian-made MiG fighter jets. But there was this hiccup⁸, Leila, because the U.S. thought Poland would deliver the warplanes directly to Ukraine. Poland wanted to send the planes to Germany and have the U.S. send them in. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby pretty much shut it down as a nonstarter. Kirby said the U.S. believes they wouldn't add significantly to Ukraine's defenses and that a transfer such as that would be seen as both high-risk and escalatory, meaning it could risk a conflict between NATO and Russia.

Now, as far as air defenses, the U.S. may send mobile air defense systems to Ukraine to replace those destroyed by Russia. Other NATO countries also use the same kinds of systems, so there's a hope of a fairly quick transfer. But as President Zelenskyy said, the hope for a no-fly zone - that will never happen because that means you're going to war.

FADEL: But, Tom, Vladimir Putin is using long-range missiles, half of them back in Russia, to hit civilian⁹ targets like schools and churches, even that children's hospital. People here are resolved to fight, but also there's a sense of desperation. Will these air defense systems really help?

BOWMAN: Well, they'll help somewhat. But the Russians are clearly frustrated¹⁰ in resorting to even greater missile and artillery¹¹ barrages¹² - as you say, some from the Russian mainland. And it's meant to break the will of both the government and the Ukrainian people.

And, of course, many Americans are asking, why can't the U.S. get more involved, stop this slaughter¹³? You know, Leila, there's a U.N. commitment from its 2005 World Summit and endorsed¹⁴ by all member states, and it's called Responsibility to Protect, where member states can go in militarily and protect innocents from, you know, genocide, war crimes, ethnic¹⁵ cleansing¹⁶. It was used in Libya back in 2011, when U.S. and NATO warplanes went in to prevent Moammar Gadhafi from killing¹⁷ civilians¹⁸.

The question is, will the U.S. and NATO use it against a nuclear power, Russia? The answer - probably not, even if civilian deaths multiply in the coming days and weeks. We're likely going to see a lot more attacks like the one Eric was just talking about.

FADEL: I spoke⁷ to a fighter here who said they just can't fight missiles with rifles. Which would be more valuable to Ukraine, more fighter jets or missile defense systems?

BOWMAN: Well, probably more missile defense systems. It would slow the Russian assault down a bit. But people I talk with at the Pentagon, Capitol Hill and elsewhere believe Russia will overwhelm Ukrainian defenses. One put it to me - he said total war.

FADEL: Tom, we know Ukrainians, both military personnel and civilians, are fighting the Russians, and there are reports of foreign fighters arriving to join both sides. We've heard here about Americans joining both through official channels and some just showing up in Ukraine. We actually met a young man, a former Marine¹⁹ from Minnesota, who said he came here because he wanted to fight, felt alienated²⁰ at home and moved by the killing of civilians, and he's joining a local battalion²¹. We also met a young Swedish man, a chef with basic military training, who's here to fight. What do we know about who's showing up in Ukraine?

BOWMAN: Well, as you just pointed²² out, they appear to be coming from Europe and the U.S. On the door of the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, a sign says, join the army, with a bar code beneath it. And I spoke with a Ukrainian defense official who said thousands have reached out. Most of them are rejected for, you know, a variety of reasons - a lack of experience, criminal record, psychological problems. And then they interview these folks over Zoom²³ and by phone. And he said about 100 have passed scrutiny²⁴. Now, they can travel to Poland at their own expense, meet a Ukrainian official at the border and sign a contract to join the army. But again, Leila, the numbers appear to be pretty small.

FADEL: NPR's Tom Bowman. Thank you so much for your reporting.

BOWMAN: You're welcome.

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 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。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

6 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。

7 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。

8 hiccup   

n.打嗝

参考例句：

• When you have to hiccup,drink a glass of cold water.当你不得不打嗝时，喝一杯冷水就好了。
• How long did he hiccup?他打嗝打了多久？

9 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。

10 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

12 barrages   

n.弹幕射击( barrage的名词复数 )；火力网；猛烈炮火；河上的堰坝v.火力攻击（或阻击）( barrage的第三人称单数 )；以密集火力攻击（或阻击）

参考例句：

• In many Basidiomycetes barrages develop. 在许多担子菌中也发生一些栅栏。 来自辞典例句
• It's fun to be able to run around and do instant Barrages. 一边瞬发奥术弹幕一边四处跑确实很有趣。 来自互联网

13 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

14 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

16 cleansing   

n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词

参考例句：

• medicated cleansing pads for sensitive skin 敏感皮肤药物清洗棉
• Soap is not the only cleansing agent. 肥皂并不是唯一的清洁剂。

17 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

18 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。

19 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

20 alienated   

adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• His comments have alienated a lot of young voters. 他的言论使许多年轻选民离他而去。
• The Prime Minister's policy alienated many of her followers. 首相的政策使很多拥护她的人疏远了她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

22 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。

23 zoom   

n.急速上升；v.突然扩大，急速上升

参考例句：

• The airplane's zoom carried it above the clouds.飞机的陡直上升使它飞到云层之上。
• I live near an airport and the zoom of passing planes can be heard night and day.我住在一个飞机场附近，昼夜都能听到飞机飞过的嗡嗡声。

24 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。