VOA慢速英语2015 越来越多的证据表明俄罗斯军方卷入了乌克兰战争

AS IT IS 2015-06-03 Growing Evidence of Russian Military Involvement in Ukraine 越来越多的证据表明俄罗斯军方卷入了乌克兰战争

United Nations investigators¹ say there is growing evidence of Russian military involvement in the war in Ukraine. More than a year has passed since the start of fighting between the Ukrainian armed forces and pro-Russian rebels. This week, the U.N. human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine released its 10th report on the war. The report examines the situation during a three-month period, from February 16 to May 15.

Russia denies its soldiers are fighting in eastern Ukraine. Russian officials say those fighting with pro-Russian rebels are volunteers.

Ukraine’s armed forces captured two Russians last month. Since then, the Russian government has refused to say they belong to the regular Russian army. But investigators who privately² questioned the Russian soldiers last month reached a different finding.

Ivan Simonovic is the U.N.’s Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights.

“There is increasing evidence that active servicemen from Russian Federation³ may be operating in Ukraine. In these cases, we have to be very cautious because the same persons who were visited are subject to national Ukrainian criminal investigation⁴ and they are charged with terrorism and, of course, those people are between a rock and hard place because also Russian Federation is closely watching what they are saying or not saying.” 

Mr. Simonovic says there also are reports of the Russian Federation providing fighters and modern, heavy weaponry to the rebels. 

The U.N. report says more than 6,400 people were killed and nearly 16,000 wounded in eastern Ukraine from the middle of May 2014 through May 30 of this year. The report says this is a conservative estimate and the actual numbers are likely to be higher. It also says 1.2 million people are displaced internally. They were forced to flee their homes along the Russian border with Ukraine because of the fighting. U.N. officials say hundreds of thousands of others have sought refuge in Russia and other countries.

The report notes a decrease in what observers call indiscriminate shelling since the acceptance of the Minsk peace agreements on February 12. But it adds the shelling has not stopped, and civilians⁵ continue to live in fear.

The report also documents serious human rights abuses. Mr. Simonovic says there are claims both sides may be guilty of war crimes. He adds that documentation of such crimes is greater in rebel-controlled areas. 

“By armed groups, there is an allegation of killings⁶, torture, ill-treatment, forced labor⁷, looting, ransom⁸, extortion of money. For both sides, we have some allegations -- and in case of armed groups, some documentation -- of summary executions. For the governmental side, we have allegations that we still investigate and work on.” 

The report says human rights violations⁹ have continued in the Crimean peninsula since Russia claimed the area on March 4, 2014. It notes arrests, torture, and threats are continuing against political opponents, mainly members of the Crimean Tatar community.  

Words in This Story

monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time

mission – n. a group with a special job or project

regular – adj. normal or traditional

cautious – adj. careful

indiscriminate – adj. affecting many people or things in a careless way

allegation - n. a claim

1 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

3 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

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 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

9 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。