美国国家公共电台 NPR--Ukraine says Russia has recently taken out a third of its power stations

Ukraine says Russia has recently taken out a third of its power stations

Transcript¹

Ukraine's president calls Russian drone strikes on critical infrastructure² "terrorism." As winter cold starts to set in, officials are calling on Ukrainians to conserve³ electricity.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian forces have destroyed a third of Ukraine's power stations in the last two weeks.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Many cities and villages are without power, triggering fears of a humanitarian⁴ crisis as the country gets colder. Zelenskyy says Russia has launched a series of what he calls terrorist strikes because they're losing in the east and south.

FADEL: Here with more is NPR's Franco Ordo?ez. He's been reporting near the front lines in eastern Ukraine. Good morning, Franco.

FRANCO ORDO?EZ, BYLINE⁵: Good morning, Leila.

FADEL: So, Franco, Russia has clearly been targeting infrastructure and energy stations in recent weeks. What's the impact been?

ORDO?EZ: You know, it's been extensive. Zelenskyy and other leaders are calling on people to conserve electricity. The problem is not necessarily having the energy but being able to distribute it. NPR spoke⁶ to the Energy Ministry⁷ today, and an adviser⁸ explained that the Russians are targeting substations, which there are more of around the country, and they're also harder to protect. Ursula von der Leyen - she's the president of the European Commission. She said earlier today - calling the attacks a war crime.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

URSULA VON DER LEYEN: Targeted attacks on civilian⁹ infrastructure with a clear aim to cut off men, women, children of water, electricity and heating with the winter coming - these are acts of pure terror.

ORDO?EZ: You know, Leila, it's already starting to get cold here. The World Health Organization is warning of a potential humanitarian crisis. And the WHO officials note that 800,000 Ukrainian homes have already been destroyed and/or damaged.

FADEL: Now, Ukrainian officials announced yesterday that a fifth person died from Monday's attacks in Kyiv that were carried out with Iranian drones. What has the government said about Iran's involvement?

ORDO?EZ: Yeah, they're called kamikaze drones. Iran has supplied hundreds of them to the Russians, and it's really created a significant geopolitical problem. Ukraine is threatening to cut ties with Tehran. Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Iran's actions were despicable, and he said they won't be tolerated.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DMYTRO KULEBA: (Non-English language spoken).

ORDO?EZ: He's saying given the amount of destruction and deaths from the Iranian drones, as well as the possible continuation of Iran's supply of weapons, that he's submitting a proposal to cut off diplomatic ties with Iran. And he said also that Iran beared (ph) full responsibility for the damage to the relationship. But he did add that if Iran stopped supplying these drones, they could discuss remaining cooperation. And just as you said earlier, President Zelenskyy has called these attacks a sign of desperation and that Russia is basically lashing¹⁰ out because it's struggling in the south and also in the east.

FADEL: So what are some of the signs that Russia's struggling in the south and the east?

ORDO?EZ: Russian officials have called for an evacuation of Kherson in the south. Russia's top commander acknowledged the advances made by Ukrainians. He told Russian TV that things were getting tense. TASS, state-run media, says it would take six days to relocate about 50 to 60,000 people. It's actually a rare admission of the problems they have. Right now, Kherson is the only regional capital Russia controls on the Western Bank of the Dnieper River, which divides the country. Ukraine has been trying to isolate¹¹ Russian forces there by blowing up bridges and cutting off their access to supplies. It would be a huge victory for Ukraine if it could take back control of Kherson.

FADEL: NPR's Franco Ordo?ez, thanks.

ORDO?EZ: Thank you.

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 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 conserve   

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

• He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。
• Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

4 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

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 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。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

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 lashing   

n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The speaker was lashing the crowd. 演讲人正在煽动人群。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rain was lashing the windows. 雨急打着窗子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。