As Ukraine and Russia meet again for talks, fighting continues in parts of Ukraine

As Ukraine and Russia meet again for talks, fighting continues in parts of Ukraine

Transcript¹

Just days ago — during another round of peace talks — Russia said it would reduce its troop presence around the capital Kyiv. Ukrainians are skeptical² that Russia is going to relieve pressure.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

As Ukrainian and Russian officials meet again today to talk out a potential cease-fire, fighting continues in many parts of Ukraine. Just days ago, during another round of peace talks, Russia said it would reduce its troop presence around the capital city, Kyiv. NPR's Nate Rott is there, and earlier this morning, I asked him if that was actually happening.

NATHAN ROTT, BYLINE³: Yes and no. So Western intelligence agencies are saying they're seeing some of those troop movements here around Kyiv and in Chernihiv. That's a bit northeast of here. The governors in both oblasts - that's the Ukrainian equivalent of states - both said today that they are also seeing some of those troop movements, but they say other troops are digging in. And just about every Ukrainian you talk to here, you know, from politician to military medic to person walking their dog on the street, is highly skeptical that Russia's actually going to relieve pressure on either of these areas. I talked to a person yesterday who was with an aid convoy⁴ that got turned around in Chernihiv because of fighting. And there were two loud booms that we heard while in central Kyiv yesterday, though we're still waiting for confirmation⁵ to hear what was hit.

MARTIN: Even so, we do keep hearing these reports that - at least in some places, that Russia is sort of on its heels, right?

ROTT: Yeah. I mean, in Kyiv and in Chernihiv, they've both suffered heavy losses. And, you know, we are hearing that the Ukrainians are being able to force Russian troops out of some of these areas, though they remain unsafe for civilians⁶, for normal people, to return to. There were reports of a possible Ukrainian strike about 20 miles across the border in Russia overnight. The regional governor in Russia said it was an oil depot⁷ that was hit, though there's still a lot of details that need to be confirmed there. In southern Ukraine, the military is now saying it's retaking 11 towns in the Kherson region, which is near the Crimean peninsula.

And today it's in the south where we're going to be paying a lot of attention because that's where Mariupol is. That's the city that's been under siege for weeks, where we've seen just horrific images. A major Red Cross convoy is trying to get into that city today to deliver humanitarian⁸ aid, to get more civilians out, but they've been waiting for assurances from both Ukraine and Russia that it's going to be safe to do so.

MARTIN: You've been talking to people in Kyiv. What's the sense there?

ROTT: You know, it's super interesting. Besides air raid warnings, the nights here are, like, ghostly silent. Curfews are in effect. There's no traffic on the streets. Buildings are keeping their lights off. So you're in this major city, but it's really quiet. During the day, there's more activity. People are out. Businesses are starting to open back up, and some people are coming back. I talked to a 26-year-old yesterday named Olgha Selho, who said she'd just gotten back and that she's - it's been a little weird⁹ trying to adjust back to the life here.

OLGHA SELHO: When you leave, you understand in one way that it's war, and you need to go somewhere. And then you came back, but it's still war. And the action is different, so you need to get to know how to live again.

ROTT: So she's trying to learn how to live again. She does say it feels safer here, but, you know, as she said and as we've heard from everybody, it's hard to say anywhere is safe in Ukraine right now, given that there's still Russian strikes happening all over.

MARTIN: All right. NPR's Nathan Rott reporting from Kyiv. Thank you so much, Nate.

ROTT: Yeah. Thank you, Rachel.

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 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

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 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

5 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

6 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。

7 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

8 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

9 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。