After recognizing breakaway regions, Putin orders 'peacekeeping' troops to Ukraine

After recognizing breakaway regions, Putin orders 'peacekeeping' troops to Ukraine

Transcript¹

Russian President Putin signed a declaration for troops to move into Ukraine's breakaway regions. The White House, along with NATO members and the United Nations, condemned² the moves by Russia.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Vladimir Putin is testing the U.S. and its NATO allies. He recognized two separatist regions of Ukraine as independent, even though they are tethered closely to Russia. Then he sent in Russian troops. Putin says they're not there to start a war, but rather to, quote, "keep the peace." So how does the West respond, and what do Russians make of Putin's land grab?

NPR's Charles Maynes is in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, near the Ukrainian border. Charles, thanks for being here.

CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE³: Happy to do it.

MARTIN: So what are you hearing from Russians there?

MAYNES: Well, you know, first of all, you know, much of these events happened here late into the night. So Russians here in Rostov and elsewhere woke up this morning to the news and a new reality - you know, that the Kremlin had taken actions that could lead to war or crushing sanctions, or possibly both. And we now have news that Russian tanks are in these so-called republics as part of what Russia says is its peacekeeping force. Russian state TV is showing celebrations in the separatist regions, as well as - I'd been getting messages from Russian nationalists at home. They've long championed independence ever since taking part in a Russian-backed proxy⁴ war in east Ukraine in 2014 - really part of this broader Kremlin effort to undermine Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO and the EU.

But, you know, less clear, I think, is what the rest of Russia will make of this, should violence in Ukraine spiral, and that certainly looks possible. Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed overnight, dozens wounded. The separatists are now talking about seizing additional territory in the Donbas now that they have Russian backing. And meanwhile, Russia is accusing Ukraine of shelling civilians⁵, even staging attacks on Russian territory here where I am in Rostov Oblast - this is near the border again - and all this could be used as a pretext⁶ for further military action, which, of course, is what the U.S. and allies have been warning about all along. I mean, just on a personal note, I made a visit to the border yesterday, and I could see tanks and military vehicles tucked in the woods to the side of the main highway. And that's just one part of this large force of some 150,000 Russian troops now that seems to be an invasion force.

MARTIN: Ukraine's President Zelenskyy is trying to reassure⁷ Ukrainians, but that is a really tough job right now, right? I mean, after Russia took Crimea in 2014, now it's recognized these two Russian-backed regions of Ukraine as independent?

MAYNES: Yeah, you know, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a speech late, late last night, calling the Russian move a violation⁸ of Ukraine's sovereignty. He said Ukraine wanted peace but would not give anything away to anyone. He also called for a clear and effective response from the international community. Let's listen in.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: (Non-English language spoken).

MAYNES: So here Zelenskyy is saying that this is the moment when Ukraine finds out who its real friends and partners are and who will continue to push back against Russia with just words alone. You know, I think it's fair to say this is really the latest example of Zelenskyy's frustration⁹ with Western powers who have been warning Russia behind the scenes of what could happen if it attacks Ukraine, rather than openly spelling out what will happen.

MARTIN: Charles, I want to ask you about the meeting, the speech that Putin had yesterday because he's such a black box - right? - on the international stage. It's very rare to be able to understand exactly what's happening in his mind or his decision-making process. So every opportunity to see him in a public setting gives us some clues. So what did you see in his meetings yesterday that were put on public television in his speech?

MAYNES: Yeah, this was a really, really angry speech. And what struck me was that although much of it was a chauvinistic¹⁰ harangue¹¹ about Ukraine, the other part focused on what Putin sees as the West taking advantage of Russia after the end of the Cold War - you know, anger over NATO expansion eastward¹² towards Russia's borders and about what Putin argues are Western designs to contain or even destroy Russia today. And Putin's obsessions¹³ with these topics haven't been resolved in any way by this move into the Donbas, which suggests that yesterday's drama is a prelude¹⁴ to more brinkmanship or perhaps even conflict to come.

MARTIN: NPR's Charles Maynes, thank you.

MAYNES: 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 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

3 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。

4 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

5 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。

6 pretext   

n.借口，托词

参考例句：

• He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
• He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

7 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

8 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

9 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

10 chauvinistic   

a.沙文主义(者)的

参考例句：

• The tribe has been forced to modify its chauvinistic attitudes. 部族不得不改变它的沙文主义姿态。
• And seeing others' suffering when considering your chauvinistic interests of great America. 在考虑大美沙文利益的时候想想世界的福祉。

11 harangue   

n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话

参考例句：

• We had to listen to a long harangue about our own shortcomings.我们必须去听一有关我们缺点的长篇大论。
• The minister of propaganda delivered his usual harangue.宣传部长一如既往发表了他的长篇大论。

12 eastward   

adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部

参考例句：

• The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
• The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。

13 obsessions   

n.使人痴迷的人（或物）( obsession的名词复数 )；着魔；困扰

参考例句：

• 95% of patients know their obsessions are irrational. 95％的病人都知道他们的痴迷是不理智的。 来自辞典例句
• Too often you get caught in your own obsessions. 所以你时常会沉迷在某个电影里。 来自互联网

14 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。