What the latest U.S. military aid to Ukraine can tell us about the state of the war

What the latest U.S. military aid to Ukraine can tell us about the state of the war

　　Transcript¹

　　President Biden approved another massive weapons package for Ukraine on Wednesday. That brings the total amount of U.S. assistance to Ukraine's military to more than a billion dollars since Russia invaded three weeks ago.

　　This latest round of aid will consist of direct transfers of equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense² to the Ukrainian military, in an effort to help it ramp³ up security measures.

　　The Biden administration says the $800 million package includes 800 anti-aircraft systems, 9,000 shoulder-mounted anti-armor missile systems to destroy tanks, 7,000 small arms, including guns and grenade launchers, 20 million rounds of ammunition⁴ and drones.

　　Even more notable than the cost of the package is the kind of weapons it provides. Here's what they reveal about the state of the conflict and where it might be headed.

　　What's in the package?

　　Three key items are all considered very urgent.

　　The package provides for more Javelin⁵ missiles, which have been very effective against Russian tanks so far — perhaps the single most potent⁶ weapon that Ukraine has had.

　　It also includes Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which Ukraine is already using against low-flying Russian planes and helicopters.

　　And it introduces 100 drones, which will reportedly be so small that soldiers can carry them in their backpacks before taking them out to deploy⁷. They're formally known as Switchblades, but are often called "Kamikaze drones" because they explode upon hitting their target.

　　How do these weapons compare with Russia's?

　　The drones wouldn't completely close the gap between the Russians' manned aircraft. They have a small explosive charge — nothing on the scale of a fighter jet with huge, powerful bombs.

　　But they should enable Ukrainians to carry out additional attacks on Russian forces from the sky. As a senior U.S. defense official put it, they are intended to "deliver a punch."

　　And while Ukraine can't match Russia tank for tank, small units or even individuals are well-equipped to ambush⁸ Russian forces.

　　The common thread here is Ukrainians are relying on very agile⁹, nimble, portable systems whereas Russian forces are using larger, more powerful and somewhat lumbering¹⁰ weapons systems.

　　Has there been movement towards the no-fly zone Ukraine has been calling for?

　　Ukrainian officials are still calling on Western leaders to implement¹¹ a no-fly zone over its skies and provide them with MiG fighter jets, though neither is likely to happen.

　　The jets are a small number of older planes that belong to Poland, and U.S. officials have said they don't think they will make a big difference when it comes to air power.

　　And the U.S. remains¹² very much opposed to a no-fly zone. The first step in creating one would be to attack the Russian air defense system on the ground or take out Russian planes in the sky. That would entail¹³ almost-certain combat with Russia, which Biden says is not going to happen.

　　Where could the conflict be headed next?

　　More battles are expected for Kyiv and other big Ukrainian cities, with each side likely to fight in very different ways.

　　U.S. military officials say the Russians have been flying an average of about 200 sorties — or aircraft missions — a day, compared to just five or 10 by the Ukrainians. This reflects both the larger and more advanced Russian air force, as well as the Russian air defense systems that can take down Ukrainian planes and pilots.

　　Russian forces are basically stalled outside the cities, unleashing¹⁴ intense shelling in an effort to encircle them and pound Ukrainians into submission¹⁵.

　　Ukrainians can't stop these artillery¹⁶ attacks, but can prevent large Russian armored columns from entering their cities — and the weapons the U.S. is providing are designed to help them do exactly that.

　　The audio version of this story was edited by Andrew Sussman and produced by David West.

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 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

4 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

5 javelin   

n.标枪，投枪

参考例句：

• She achieved a throw of sixty metres in the javelin event.在掷标枪项目中，她掷了60米远。
• The coach taught us how to launch a javelin.教练教我们投标枪。

6 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

7 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

8 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

9 agile   

adj.敏捷的，灵活的

参考例句：

• She is such an agile dancer!她跳起舞来是那么灵巧！
• An acrobat has to be agile.杂技演员必须身手敏捷。

10 lumbering   

n.采伐林木

参考例句：

• Lumbering and, later, paper-making were carried out in smaller cities. 木材业和后来的造纸都由较小的城市经营。
• Lumbering is very important in some underdeveloped countries. 在一些不发达的国家，伐木业十分重要。

11 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 entail   

vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要

参考例句：

• Such a decision would entail a huge political risk.这样的决定势必带来巨大的政治风险。
• This job would entail your learning how to use a computer.这工作将需要你学会怎样用计算机。

14 unleashing   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Company logos: making people's life better by unleashing Cummins power. 公司理念：以康明斯动力建设更美好的生活！ 来自互联网
• Sooner or later the dam will burst, unleashing catastrophic destruction. 否则堤坝将崩溃，酿成灾难。 来自互联网

15 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。

16 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。