How far is Russian President Putin willing to go to take over Ukraine?

How far is Russian President Putin willing to go to take over Ukraine?

　　Transcript¹

　　NPR's A Martinez talks to Andrei Soldatav, founder² of the investigative website Agentura, about Russian President Putin's state of mind as he unleashes³ warring forces in Ukraine.

　　A MARTINEZ, HOST:

　　In Mariupol, Ukraine, an official with the mayor's office says there are survivors⁴ after yesterday's attack on a city theater that was being used as a shelter. Exact numbers aren't known, but the official said the bomb shelter withstood. A newly released satellite image showed people tried to fend⁵ off a strike from Russian forces by having the Russian word for children written in large white letters outside of the Mariupol drama theater. It's believed hundreds of Ukrainian residents were inside at the time. Meantime, Russian forces have failed to take the capital and other major cities as quickly as many had expected. And the recent arrests of two high-ranking intelligence officials in Russia's FSB - that's the successor to the KGB - may be a sign of Vladimir Putin's growing frustration⁶.

　　With us on the line from London is Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov, founder and editor of investigative website Agentura, which monitors Russia's Secret Service.

　　Andrei, in the multiple terms that Vladimir Putin has been president of Russia, his actions have been difficult to predict, perhaps now maybe more than ever. You've covered Putin and the Kremlin for many, many years. What do you believe his strategy is right now?

　　ANDREI SOLDATOV: Well, good morning to you. Well, I think and I fear that his strategy now is basically the same he had before he started invasion. He seems to be stick to the original plan because he believes that it could work.

　　MARTINEZ: Yeah. He did say yesterday - while President Zelenskyy was addressing the U.S. Congress, he did say yesterday that the operation in Ukraine is going according to plan. Is he saying that for himself to believe or for the Russian people to believe? Because he knows, I think, that the West doesn't believe him.

　　SOLDATOV: Yes, absolutely. But it looks like he convinced himself that everything is fine, that he is full in control of the situation. And given the fact that we do not see major shifts in military strategy in Ukraine, so it looks like he's really sticks to the plan he had before the war.

　　MARTINEZ: What is the significance of the reported arrest of two senior intelligence officials within the FSB?

　　SOLDATOV: Well, it seems that in terms of intelligence, this war is strikingly different from what we had before with Putin's wars. He started this war with humiliating the chief of his foreign intelligence agencies, SVR, Naryshkin, at this now-famous meeting of the security council. Two weeks later, he attacked the foreign intelligence branch of the FSB, his beloved agency, because the FSB's foreign intelligence branch was largely in charge of supplying intelligence about the political situation in Ukraine and also because this department was in charge of cultivating political opposition⁷ in Ukraine, political groups which might be supportive for the Russian troops. That never happened, but it seems that it doesn't change Putin's attitude to Ukraine, so he just attacks his people for being not extremely competent.

　　MARTINEZ: In that address, Vladimir Putin was using words such as natural and necessary self-purification of society will only strengthen Russia. When you hear those kinds of words, Andrei, what does it make you think his mind is at?

　　SOLDATOV: To be honest, it's absolutely horrible. We already see thousands of Russians fleeing the (inaudible) country, and Putin seems to encourage them to leave. He attacked the Westernized part of the society, has said basically that the Russian people will spit them out like a fly. And it is - it sounds really horrible. He - again, he mentions the fifth column. So it means that now he is so angry that he is ready to - well, to increase repressions⁸ we already have in Russia.

　　MARTINEZ: And I was going to ask about that. So fifth column is a term that's used to describe a group of people trying to undermine from within. He mentioned - he used those words as a group creating civil unrest. I mean - and you mentioned it, too. So his rule could become even more repressive than it already has been?

　　SOLDATOV: Yes, absolutely. What we had before, we had selective repressions. And the interesting thing that he attacked with his repressions - not only the political opposition, but also the Russian elite⁹. We have ministers in jail. We have governors in jail. We have even the FSB generals in jail. Now he seems to be thinking that more repression's needed. So maybe we are not talking anymore about some selective repressions or of something a bit more ambitious.

　　MARTINEZ: Is there any concern for you, Andrei, that he could get even more frustrated¹⁰ with the war and escalate¹¹ further?

　　SOLDATOV: Yes. That's what I fear, to be honest. That's the usual Putin's way out of any crisis is to further escalate and to go somewhere else.

　　MARTINEZ: That was Andrei Soldatov, founder and editor of the investigative website Agentura. Andrei, thank you very much.

　　SOLDATOV: 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 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 unleashes   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• These findings qualify the common view that economic growth unleashes myriad discontents. 这些发现，纠正了一个普遍观点，即经济发展使人们尽情宣泄不满。 来自互联网
• This caster unleashes a storm of electric discharge on the enemy. 法师向敌人释放出一片电火花的风暴。 来自互联网

4 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

5 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

6 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。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 repressions   

n.压抑( repression的名词复数 )；约束；抑制；镇压

参考例句：

9 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

10 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。