VOA慢速英语: 普京：“孤独的领导人”致力于重建俄罗斯政权

Approval ratings for Russian President Vladimir Putin are near record highs. Experts say the former spy is determined to restore Russia to what he sees as its rightful place in the world.

普京：“孤独的领导人”致力于重建俄罗斯政权
The Russian economy has faced a crisis in recent months, partly because of the sharp drop in oil prices.Yet, public approval ratings for Russian President Vladimir Putin are near record highs.
最近几月，俄罗斯经济遭受危机，部分原因是因为石油价格下降。但是公众对俄罗斯总统普京的支持率创纪录的高。
Western measures against Russia have failed to reduce its interference in Ukraine. Russia watchers say Mr. Putin is working to return Russia to what he sees as its rightful place in the world, by any means available.
西方国家对俄罗斯采取的措施没有减少俄罗斯对乌克兰的干预。俄罗斯观察者称：普京致力于让俄罗斯重获世界应有的地位，为此，会采取任何有效方法。
Last Monday, the Russian leader took part in “Defender of the Fatherland Day” observances in Moscow. The event honors his country’s military victories and former members of the armed forces. However, it was not a victory but a defeat that defines Mr. Putin’s way of thinking. Edward Lucas wrote a book called The NewCold War. He says the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 had a major effect on the future Russian president.
上周一，俄罗斯领导人参加了莫斯科的“保卫祖国节日”的活动仪式。这一活动为了纪念国家取得的军事胜利以及军队退伍的成员。但是，这个庆祝活动不是一场胜利，而是普京思维方式错误的一败笔。爱德华·卢卡斯写了一本《新冷战》的书，他表示：1991年苏联的解体对未来俄罗斯总统有非常大的影响。
“He wants, feels that Russia was cheated in the 1990s, and that the Soviet Union was humiliated and toppled by the West, and it’s time to get back what was lost – both in terms of status, but also in terms of territory.”
“他希望、感觉俄罗斯在20世纪90年代的时候被骗了，苏联被西方国家羞辱、推翻，现在是时候重新得到我们失去的东西——不仅包括国际地位，还有失去的领土。”
Western leaders say those ideas are being expressed in Ukraine. They accuse the Russian president of sending troops across the border -- a claim Russia denies. The West has taken steps against several oligarchs -- high-level people close to the president. But those measures have had little effect, says writer Ben Judah.
西方领导人称这些想法在乌克兰问题上体现了出来。他们指责俄罗斯总统向两国边界派军——俄罗斯予以否认。西方国家已经采取措施来对抗这几个寡头——跟踪通关系近的高层人员。但是作家本·犹大称这些措施基本上没有什么作用。
“What that shows is that there aren’t any oligarchs anymore. There is a Putin dictatorship, and there are people who are completely dependent on him for their wealth or their role in Russian politics.”
“措施收效甚微表明没有更多的寡头了，普京实行独裁统治，有很多人完全依赖普京来寻求他们的财富以及在俄罗斯政治中的地位。”
Ben Judah told Vladimir Putin’s life story in the book Fragile Empire. He says the president feels he is the only person who can lead and rebuild the Russian nation.
但是本·犹大在《脆弱的帝国》一书中讲述了普京一生的故事。他表示总统认为自己是唯一一个能够引领重建俄罗斯的人。
“Whether he needs to do that through war, he’ll do that through war. If he needs to do that through economic growth, he’ll do that through economic growth. If he’s going, the only way to do that is through nationalism and confrontation with the West, he’ll do that.”
“如果重建俄罗斯需要通过战争，那他就会发动战争。如果需要通过经济增长来振兴俄罗斯，那他就会采取保持经济增长的措施。如果唯一的方式是通过民族主义和与西方对抗的话，那他就会这样做。”
Mr. Putin was an officer in the KGB -- the intelligence service of the Soviet Union. He rose to the position of Lieutenant Colonel. Edward Lucas says his years with the KGB were a major influence.
普京曾任克格勃——苏联情报部门的军官。他升到中校的位置，爱德华·卢卡斯说普京在克格勃任职期间的影响很大。
“He retains the ruthless and paranoid world view which is the hallmark of the KGB. He’s also come to love the limelight, and he’s gone from the shadows to being an international figure and he enjoys everything that comes with that.”
“他保留的无情、偏执的世界观是克格勃的标志。他喜欢出风头，从一个幕后成为一个国际形象，他喜欢任何能够让他获得关注的事。”
While Mr. Putin may enjoy being president, he admitted last year that he has few friends. He spoke with Russia’s state-operated news agency.
但是普京似乎很享受做总统，他接受俄罗斯国营新闻机构采访时表示去年几乎没有什么朋友。
He said, “You know, I don’t feel lonely, as strange as that may sound. Friendly meetings, contact -- I don’t have much, even with people whom I consider my friends.”
普京称：“我不感到孤单，这听起来也许有点奇怪。友好的会晤、接触——我并没有很多活动，甚至跟朋友也很少聚。”
Such openness is rare. Mr. Putin has sought to present an image of strength. He was famously pictured riding a horse without anything on the upper half of his body. Other pictures have shown him exploring a ship wreck and flying a microlight aircraft.
这样公开的内容很少见，普京力求展现强势的形象。他最出名的一张照片是骑着马上半身什么也没穿。其它一些照片显示他探索一艘残骸船，以及驾驶一艘轻型飞机。
Ben Judah says Mr. Putin’s public image hides his insecurities.
但是犹大表示普京的公众形象掩藏了他的不安感。
“Putin is a very lonely, very unhappy, deeply isolated man, terrified of physical decay, and a man who feels enormous self-pity that he has to bear this cross of Russia, that he has to confront these forces.”
“普京是位非常孤单、不开心、又很孤立的人，害怕身体机能的衰退，自我感觉有深深的遗憾，他需要帮俄罗斯度过难关，他需要面对这些问题。”
Observers say such complexities are important to understanding the man leading the Russian government. They say he is prepared to re-establish his country’s power and honor at almost any cost.
观察者称这些复杂的情况对于了解俄罗斯政府的领导人来说非常重要。他们称普京准备不惜任何代价恢复国家政权和荣誉。
I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.
我是克里斯托弗·琼斯·格鲁斯。
Correspondent Henry Ridgwell reported this story from London. George Growwrote it in VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter edited the story.
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Words in This Story
means – n. something useful leading to a desired end
oligarch(s) – n. one of a few people who control power in a country
ruthless – adj. uncaring; unfeeling
paranoid – adj. feeling that others want to harm you; having a mental disorderthat causes people to falsely believe others want to harm them
limelight – n. the center of attention
isolate(d) – adj. separated from others
decay – n. the loss of strength and health; being slowly destroyed by naturalprocesses of aging
pity – n. a feeling of sadness or sympathy
bear this cross – phrase to suffer like the Christian savior Jesus Christ didwhen he was executed
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