After major setbacks in the war with Ukraine, Russian forces regroup

After major setbacks in the war with Ukraine, Russian forces regroup

Transcript¹

Russia is now concentrating its forces in eastern Ukraine and a major offensive is widely anticipated. But this new stage of the war could differ in many ways from the past seven weeks of fighting.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Satellite images show Russian troops are massing in eastern Ukraine. It appears a big offensive is on the horizon, and this new stage of the war could differ in many ways from the past seven weeks of Russian assaults on Ukraine. We've got NPR national security correspond Greg Myre with us. Greg, assuming Russia launches this big offensive in the eastern part of Ukraine, how will it be different from what we've seen so far?

GREG MYRE, BYLINE²: Well, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has made it clear in some remarks yesterday that he is going to press on with the war. But it's really important to note that he has scaled back his military aims, at least for now. When Russia invaded back on February 24, they entered Ukraine from three separate directions - north, east and south - and there was this clear goal of a sweeping³ victory throughout Ukraine. But Putin had to cut his losses in the north, and he withdrew all the Russian troops around the capital, Kyiv. We still see lots of heavy fighting in the south. But that really leaves the east. And Putin stressed in these remarks yesterday that the east would be the focus of the Russian campaign, and we should note, it's the place where conditions are most favorable for the Russians.

MARTINEZ: Why? Why would the Russians do better there than elsewhere?

MYRE: Well, let's start with the terrain⁴. In northern Ukraine, it was well-suited for small Ukrainian units ambushing⁵ columns of Russian tanks. The rural areas there have lots of woods, good cover for hit-and-run attacks. The urban areas also lend themselves to these guerrilla-style attacks. So these were good places for the outgunned Ukrainians to fight. It's very different in the east. That has a lot of farmland, lots of big wheat fields and corn fields and wide-open spaces. So the Ukrainians, with fewer weapons - or smaller weapons, will find it hard to sneak⁶ up on the Russians. The battlefields will be more suited to Russia's hulking armored vehicles and big artillery⁷ guns.

MARTINEZ: So speaking of weapons, then, are Ukrainians making any headway in getting arms to match the Russians?

MYRE: Well, the Ukrainians are getting a lot of weapons, though, to this point, they've been mostly smaller ones - like rifles, machine guns, shoulder-fired missiles. But Ukraine has been very persistent⁸ in its pleas for larger weapons, and this really has changed the conversation with the U.S. and NATO. We're really seeing signs that the Biden administration may be getting close to a new weapons package and that it could include some of these larger systems - armored vehicles, that sort of thing. Now, the Ukrainians would need them in a hurry if they plan to match the Russians when it comes to sort of head-on battles.

MARTINEZ: What if - what about something that's not necessarily measurable, like morale⁹? It seems like that would favor Ukraine, right?

MYRE: Yeah, that's true. I mean, Ukraine has clearly had the momentum¹⁰ for most of the past seven weeks with higher morale. It has international support. It's winning the information war. The Ukrainians have seen their cities and towns destroyed in many places. They know they're fighting for the survival of the country. Their goals are quite clear - quite stark¹¹, in fact. You know, in contrast, the Russians have been forced to retreat and regroup. Their goals are still fuzzy in many ways. Does Putin want just eastern Ukraine? Does he still dream of taking the capital and installing a new government? So I think many Russian troops, if you were in position to ask them, would be pretty hard-pressed to explain exactly what they're fighting for.

MARTINEZ: NPR's Greg Myre. Greg, thanks.

MYRE: My pleasure.

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 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。

3 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

4 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

5 ambushing   

v.埋伏( ambush的现在分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The militia succeeded in ambushing the invading enemy soldiers. 民兵们成功地伏击了入侵的敌军。 来自互联网

6 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

7 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

8 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

9 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

10 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

11 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。