VOA常速英语2014--民众对普京的认可根植于民族主义（在线收听）

Putin's Popularity Rooted in Nationalism 民众对普京的认可根植于民族主义

MOSCOW— 

Russia's economy was struggling even before it was hit with western sanctions for annexing Crimea from Ukraine. Despite the downward trend, President Vladimir Putin's popularity has reached an all-time high on a wave of nationalistic fervor.  But analysts say the high numbers are set to drop.

The value of the Russian currency, the ruble, is at a historic low as western sanctions and falling oil prices take a toll on the economy.

西方制裁和油价下跌对俄罗斯经济造成影响，导致该国货币卢比的价值达到历史最低。

But Putin's approval rating is over 80 percent since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

但自俄罗斯将克里米亚从乌克兰吞并以来，普京的认可率达到80%。

The boost came at just the right time, says Lev Gudkov, director of the Levada Center, an independent surveyor of public opinion.

Lev Gudkov是公众舆论独立调查机构莱瓦达中心主任，他说认可率的上升恰逢其时。

“Putin's popularity had been decreasing since August-September 2008 when it was at its peak during the Russia-Georgia war, and it had been falling until January this year, when his support and popularity were at their lowest level," Gudkov explained, adding that Putin is riding a wave of nationalist euphoria and "an imitation of mass support."

“自2008年8、9月份以来普京的欢迎度一直在下降，到了俄罗斯与格鲁尼亚交战期间到了最高，到今年一月份之前一直在下降，一月份时其支持率和欢迎度达到最低点。”他说普京在利用这股民族主义狂热和“貌似大规模支持的局面”。

“As it is, the competition is suppressed, mass media are under severe censorship, the Duma, the Russian parliament, is assessed very negatively as a body totally dependent on Putin and the government and regarded not as a parliament but as an assembly of branch lobbyists, representing the interests of influential groups. Thus, by manipulating mass opinion they create an imitation of mass support," Gudkov said.

“竞争受到抑制，大众媒体处于严格的审查中，作为一个完全依赖于普京和政府的机构，俄罗斯杜马议会得到的评价都是负面的，人们不再视之为议会，而是将它看做各种游说者的大会，代表着有影响力群体的利益。因此，通过操纵大众舆论，他们就制造了貌似大规模支持的场面。”

Putin's supporters say by standing up to the West, he has restored Russia's status on the world stage.

普京的支持者称普京勇敢面对西方，恢复了俄罗斯在世界舞台上的地位。

The Russian president says the self-styled victors in the Cold War have been ignoring Russia while reshaping the world to suit their own needs and interests.

普京说冷战中自封为胜利者在重塑世界以迎合自己需要和利益的同时，将俄罗斯置之不理。

"Of course the sanctions are a hindrance. They are trying to hurt us through these sanctions, block our development and push us into political, economic and cultural isolation, force us into backwardness in other words," he said.

“制裁肯定是个障碍，他们在试图通过制裁伤害我们，阻扰我们的发展，将我们推入政治、经济和文化隔离局面，迫使我们退步。”

RusEnergy analyst Mikhail Krutikhin says sanctions pushed about a third of RusEnergy's oil and gas company clients to abandon hopes for contracts in Russia.  But he also notes the anti-western talk is tied to the price of oil, Russia's most important export, accounting for half the government's budget.

咨询公司RusEnergy的分析员米哈伊尔·克鲁季欣说制裁使得本公司三分之一的石油和天然气公司客户放弃了俄罗斯国内的协议。但他指出，反西方对话与油价有关，石油是俄罗斯最重要的出口产品，占政府预算的一半。

“I think the higher the prices of oil, the more vociferous are the supporters of Mr. Putin," he said.  "The nationalistic rhetoric sounds much louder. And, as soon as the price of oil goes down, I think the popularity of Putin and that sort of rhetoric also diminishes.”

“我想油价越高，普京支持者们会越激动，这种民族主义说辞会越响亮。只要油价下跌，我想普京的欢迎度和这种说辞也会消退。”

Putin's response to sanctions was a ban on western food imports that is pushing up consumer costs.

普京对制裁的应对是禁止西方食品进口，但这也抬高了消费者的成本。

Analysts say there are already signs the Kremlin's patriotic euphoria and propaganda is beginning to wear thin, as economic problems make people assess situations and prospects more realistically.

分析家称已经有迹象表明克里姆林宫的爱国主义说辞和宣传声势开始渐弱，因为经济问题使得人们开始评估局势，并以现实的态度来展望未来。