2018年CRI Russia develops new strategic weapons to counter U.S. challenges: Putin

 

President Vladimir Putin has demonstrated Russian power in his annual address to the parliament on Thursday, two weeks before the presidential election when he will seek a fourth term.

CRI's Yu Yang has the story.

In a record two-hour speech, Putin used multi-media to show off Russia's newest strategic weapons, described as capable of penetrating¹ any U.S. defense² system.

He said Russia has begun testing Sarmat, a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile, which has "practically no range limits" as it is capable of attacking across both the South and North Poles.

Putin said the new weapons also include a nuclear-powered underwater drone and new a hypersonic missile that has no equivalent elsewhere in the world.

"I can say that Russia has developed underwater drones which can move on a big - I would say very big - depth, and for intercontinental distance, with a speed many times higher than that of submarines, most modern torpedoes³ and all kinds of ships, even the fastest ones. This is fantastic."

Putin also said the strategic weapons do not use ballistic flight trajectories⁴, making NATO's missile shields "useless and senseless."

Meanwhile, U.S. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White says the Defense Department isn't surprised by Putin's claims of new nuclear weapons.

She says America's missile defense has never been about Russia and the U.S. military is prepared to defend the nation.

"They know very well that it's not about them. Our missile defense has never been about them. We need to ensure we have a credible⁵, nuclear deterrent⁶. And we are confident that we are prepared to do, and we're prepared to defend this nation no matter what."

In his speech, Putin also promised to boost Russia's economy and improve living standards in the years to come.

The president says it is necessary to allocate⁷ at least 4 percent of the country's GDP from 2019 to 2024 to improve people's health.

Putin will compete with seven other presidential candidates in an election slated⁸ for March 18.

He is widely expected to win with a landslide⁹ given his high approval ratings.

For CRI, this is Yu Yang.

1 penetrating   

adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的

参考例句：

• He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
• He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。

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 torpedoes   

鱼雷( torpedo的名词复数 )； 油井爆破筒； 刺客； 掼炮

参考例句：

• We top off, take on provisions and torpedoes, and go. 我们维修完，装上给养和鱼雷就出发。
• The torpedoes hit amidship, and there followed a series of crashing explosions. 鱼雷击中了船腹，引起了一阵隆隆的爆炸声。

4 trajectories   

n.弹道( trajectory的名词复数 )；轨道；轨线；常角轨道

参考例句：

• To answer this question, we need to plot trajectories of principal stresses. 为了回答这个问题，我们尚须画出主应力迹线图。 来自辞典例句
• In the space program the theory is used to determine spaceship trajectories. 在空间计划中，这个理论用于确定飞船的轨道。 来自辞典例句

5 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

6 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

7 allocate   

vt.分配，分派；把…拨给；把…划归

参考例句：

• You must allocate the money carefully.你们必须谨慎地分配钱。
• They will allocate fund for housing.他们将拨出经费建房。

8 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。

9 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。