Russian aggression forces Ukrainians to reflect on previous generations' trauma

Russian aggression¹ forces Ukrainians to reflect on previous generations' trauma²

Transcript³

Ukrainians across generations talk of trauma dating back to when the country was part of the Soviet⁴ Union.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

We've been reporting here in Ukraine for the past week. And through all the conversations we've had with Ukrainians about the threat of more Russian aggression, one thing that stood out is how each generation absorbs the trauma of the one that came before. I want to tell you about this woman I met the other day when we were visiting the former mansion⁵ of Viktor Yanukovych. He's the Ukrainian president who was forced from office in 2014. The woman's name is Irina. And she and her friend were walking around the palace grounds, all bundled up in coats and snow pants. We got to chatting. And when I asked her what she thinks about all the Russian troops aligned⁶ on the border with Belarus, it only took a couple moments for Irina to get emotional.

IRINA: It's terrible. (Non-English language spoken).

MARTIN: "It's terrible, terrible. It hurts me," she says. "It's about my family."

IRINA: (Non-English language spoken).

MARTIN: She goes on to tell me as a child, her mother and family were kicked out of their home by the Soviets⁷ and forcefully resettled after World War II. "It all goes through my family history, the pain." And then in the same breath, Irina talks about the generation after her, the young people who protested at Independence Square in Kyiv in 2014.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: We begin with a dramatic turn in the crisis for control of Ukraine.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: See the flames burning through the night as government forces crack down on protesters in Kyiv's central square.

(SOUNDBITE OF GUNFIRE)

MARTIN: And this is where it happened. I'm standing⁸ in the middle of Kiev in this city center, this Maidan, where there is a memorial to the protests of 2014. And I'm standing here with a woman who was there.

Do you mind introducing yourself to me?

DARIIA HIRNA: Yeah, my name is Dariia Hirna. I'm a journalist. So yeah, I took part in Revolution of Dignity in 2013 and '14. And it was really emotional and important for me personally.

MARTIN: It was called the Revolution of Dignity. Explain why.

HIRNA: Because people couldn't stand the lie and all of this corruption⁹ anymore. And as long as we expected of moving towards EU and NATO - and power decided¹⁰ to stop this future from us and to - yeah, it was basically young people. But also, our parents supported us, of course. But it got quite tense when riot police beat students. So it was really unexpected and brutal¹¹.

MARTIN: What are your memories of that violence? I mean, many people died.

HIRNA: Actually, I haven't witnessed this police action because this night, this first night police beat the students, I left to my hometown. And when I came home and read the news feed, I was shocked because there were still my friends. And it was really scary because we were unsecure. And we didn't have any weapons, any helmets on us. So yeah, it was really scary.

MARTIN: When you told me earlier that it was very emotional being here, can you describe one of those moments?

HIRNA: I remember that when we were standing here, it was really freezing. It was snow and freezing.

MARTIN: Just like now.

HIRNA: Yeah, just like now. And people take, like, warm clothes with them and share these clothes with each other. So it was, like, a atmosphere of unity¹². And when I saw, like, the December 1, it was the first meeting when, like, 1 million people came here to Maidan.

MARTIN: A million people were here in this square.

HIRNA: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was really exciting, and it felt like we're invincible¹³, and we can change our future, actually.

MARTIN: Then it wasn't very long when Russia annexed¹⁴ Crimea, Russian-backed backed separatists took Donetsk, Luhansk. And the fighting continues there. How does what happened here in Maidan - how do you think about it in relation to the ongoing¹⁵ cycle of aggression and violence from Russia?

HIRNA: So Ukraine paid a huge price for its freedom. It's obvious, but I think it was worth it. And we have lots of important changes in our country for the last eight years. But still, we had this constant feel of danger. And to be honest, I really exhausted¹⁶ of being stressed. Yeah.

MARTIN: Have you had conversations with your parents about this?

HIRNA: So, like, lots of my relatives came through these Soviet repressions¹⁷. And they knew what Russia is and what is the Russian influence, yes? So, of course, they worry. My family worry about all of the things, but they still in Lviv. It's, like, western Ukraine. So it's - feel more safe there, yeah? But my husband's family - they live in the eastern part, and they all already left from the occupied territories. They lost their homes. So they now live in lesser¹⁸ chance. And they worry very much, I think, because they already lost their home, and they don't want to lose it again.

MARTIN: And that is part of the cycle Ukrainians are trapped in. They're carrying not just the trauma of their parents or grandparents who remember different chapters of Russian aggression. They're absorbing the current pain, the losses that those they love are suffering to this day. But standing here in the Maidan, Dariia talks about what has changed since the revolution of 2014.

HIRNA: We got our strong army that can protect us and other things. For example, the state became more open. The state opened all the archive documents of KGB and Communists' files, so now we can learn our history.

MARTIN: And knowing that history is a step towards making sure it stops repeating itself.

(SOUNDBITE OF SUBSETS' "ELLIPSE")

1 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

2 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

3 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。

4 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。

5 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

6 aligned   

adj.对齐的，均衡的

参考例句：

• Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.务必使搁架与橱柜顶端对齐。

7 soviets   

苏维埃（Soviet的复数形式）

参考例句：

• A public challenge could provoke the Soviets to dig in. 公开挑战会促使苏联人一意孤行。
• The Soviets proposed the withdrawal of American ballistic-missile submarines from forward bases. 苏联人建议把美国的弹道导弹潜艇从前沿基地撤走。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

12 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

13 invincible   

adj.不可征服的，难以制服的

参考例句：

• This football team was once reputed to be invincible.这支足球队曾被誉为无敌的劲旅。
• The workers are invincible as long as they hold together.只要工人团结一致，他们就是不可战胜的。

14 annexed   

[法] 附加的，附属的

参考例句：

• Germany annexed Austria in 1938. 1938年德国吞并了奥地利。
• The outlying villages were formally annexed by the town last year. 那些偏远的村庄于去年正式被并入该镇。

15 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。

16 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

17 repressions   

n.压抑( repression的名词复数 )；约束；抑制；镇压

参考例句：

18 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。