# Russia-Ukraine War Conflict

“My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.” (Adlai Stevenson, United Nations ambassador 1961—1965)

## Содержание

## Vocabulary

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
pull back forces | отводить войска

On 18 February, President Poroshenko announces that 80% of Ukrainian forces have pulled back from the town towards Artemivsk.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
an eyewitness | очевидец
weary troops | измотанные войска
to retreat | отступать
a high-rise building | высотное здание
a footage | видеозапись

Eyewitnesses report dozens of tanks and columns of weary troopsretreating, while a Russian TV station shows footage of what it says is arebel flag being raised on a high-rise building in the town.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
ceasefire | прекращение огня
a heavy fighting | тяжелые бои
rebel forces | отряды повстанцев
a strategically important road andrail hub | стратегически важный транспортный узел
to join up territory held | присоединить к подконтрольным территориям

Despite the ceasefire, heavy fighting continues around Debaltseve withrebel forces pressing to capture the strategically important road andrail hub, to join up territory held in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
a buffer zone | буферная зона
heavy weapons | тяжелое оружие
rival forces | противоборствующие стороны

The pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine also sign the agreement whichincludes a buffer zone for heavy weapons, with a minimum of 50km (30miles) between rival forces’ artillery (140km for rockets).

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
after marathon talks | в результате длительных переговоров
to end the fighting | прекратить боевые действия
a weapon withdrawal | вывод боевой техники
a prisoner exchange | обмен пленными
key issues | основные вопросы
to settle | урегулировать

On 12 February—after marathon talks in the Belaruscapital, Minsk, an agreement is reached to end the fighting. The leadersof Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France announce that a ceasefire willbegin on 15 February. The deal also includes weapon withdrawals andprisoner exchanges, but key issues remain to be settled.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
clashes | столкновения
a renewed diplomatic push | возобновленные дипломатические усилия
truce | затишье
civilians | мирные жители

As clashes continue there is a renewed diplomatic push to end thefighting. Meanwhile, a truce allows civilians to leave Debaltseve.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
fiercest fighting | жаркие бои
to surround troops | блокировать войска
a crucial rail hub | важный железнодорожный узел

The fiercest fighting is near the town of Debaltseve, where the rebelsare trying to surround Ukrainian troops. The town is a crucial rail hublinking Donetsk and Luhansk.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
offensive | наступательная операция

The rebels continue their offensive in February.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to resupply allowingmunitions, hardware and manpower | пополнить боеприпасы, технику и личный состав
to airlift | перебрасывать по воздуху
a conflictzone | зона конфликта
drone images | снимки с беспилотника
to devastate | разрушать

There are fears its capture could help the rebels to resupply—allowingmunitions, hardware and manpower to be airlifted into the conflictzone. But drone images of the airport taken in January show howdevastated the terminal building is.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
a bitter fighting | ожесточенные бои
to shell rebel positions | обстреливать позиции повстанцев
the militants | боевики

On 22 January, Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donetsk airport’s main terminal, after weeks of bitter fighting. The airport is strategically important. Government forces had been able to shell rebel positions inside nearby Donetsk—the largest city held by the militants.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
the army | правительственные войска
the rebels | мятежники
to be battle for new ground | сражаться за новые территории
negotiating position | позиция на переговорах
ahead of | в преддверии

In January 2015, fighting between the army and the rebels intensifies in and around Donetsk, as well as in Luhansk region. Both sides seem to be battling for new ground, keen to strengthen their negotiating positions ahead of any “peace summit”.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to scrap a law | пересмотреть закон
the 5September truce | объявленное 5 сентября перемирие

Two pro-Russian leaders are declared the winners—but President PetroPoroshenko immediately threatens to scrap a law (agreed under the 5September truce) which gave special status to Donetsk and Luhansk.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to vote for a new parliament | избрать новый парламент
Pro-West parties | про-западные партии
to triumph | праздновать победу
the rebel-held east | удерживаемый повстанцами восток
to hold elections | проводить выборы

On 26 October Ukrainians vote for a new parliament. Pro-West parties triumph but the polls are boycotted in the rebel-held east—which goes on to hold its own elections on 2 November.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to violate | нарушать
to erupt | вспыхнуть

A ceasefire is agreed on 5 September between Ukraine and the pro-Russian rebels in the east. Signed in Minsk, Belarus, it is violated just four days later when fierce fighting erupts around Donetsk airport.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
remaining in control | сохраняющий контроль
closed to flights | закрыт для полетов

The battle for the airport continues with the Ukrainians remaining in control, although it is now so badly damaged that it is closed to flights.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
elsewhere | в других местах
a violation of the truce | нарушение перемирия
a stretch along | полоса вдоль

Elsewhere in the east there are repeated violations of the truce. By 19 September, the rebels control a stretch along the Russian border to the coast.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to make gains | продвигаться
allegedly | по неофициальной информации
heavy armour | тяжелая броня
to open up a new front | открыть новый фронт
on the coast | на побережье
to seize the town | захватить город
to threaten | представлять собой опасность

Ukrainian forces make gains in some areas previously held by the rebels. But on 27 August the rebels—allegedly backed by Russian heavy armour—open up a new front on the coast, seizing the town of Novoazovsk and threatening the strategic port city of Mariupol.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to allow | предоставлять
a well-trained volunteer | хорошо обученный доброволец
heavy weapons | тяжелое оружие
to dismiss accusations | отмести обвинения
to join the rebel cause | принять сторону мятежников

Ukraine insists Russian regular forces are involved in the fighting in Ukraine. It also accuses the Russian authorities of allowing well-trained volunteers and heavy weapons to cross the border to help the rebels. Russia dismisses those accusations, yet the rebel leader in Donetsk says many Russian soldiers have joined the rebel cause.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
a crash | авиационная катастрофа
death toll | число погибших
a missile | управляемая ракета
to argue instead | выдвинуть контробвинение
a fighter jet | реактивный истребитель
an airliner | рейсовый авиалайнер

The crash kills 298 people—everybody aboard the airliner. TheNetherlands has the biggest death toll (196), then Malaysia (42) andAustralia (27). Western nations blame a Russian-supplied missile,believed to have been fired by rebels. Russia denies it had armed the rebels and argues instead that a Ukrainian fighter jet had flown near the airliner at the time.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
shot down | сбит
a rebel-held territory | территория под контролем повстанцев

On 17 July Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam is shot down near the village of Grabove, in rebel-held territory close to the border with Russia.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to abandon strongholds | оставить укрепления
insurgency | мятежные действия

With a government offensive launched once more, on 5 July rebels abandon strongholds in the north of Donetsk region, withdrawing to a smaller area of insurgency in the south.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to announce a peace plan | объявить план мирного урегулирования

On 20 June, President Poroshenko announces a 15-point peace plan and declares a week-long truce. It holds for a few days until a military helicopter is shot down over eastern Ukraine.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
“confectionery tycoon” | «шоколадный король»
a polling station | избирательный участок

Elections for a new president in Ukraine are held on 25 May, resulting in confectionery tycoon Petro Poroshenko being elected with more than 55% of the vote, although no polling stations were open in Donetsk city and several other locations.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
a build-up | сосредоточение
on the shared border | на общей границе
annexation | аннексия территории

On 11 May pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk declare independence as “people’s republics” after the referendums, which were not recognised by Kiev or the West. A build-up of Russian troops on the shared border in April sparks concern that another annexation could take place.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to retake | пересдать
to grant | предоставлять

On 7 April, protesters occupy government buildings in the eastern cities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv. Although Kharkiv is retaken the following day, the occupations spread to other cities, and a number of pro-Russian leaders declare that referendums on granting greater autonomy to eastern regions will be held.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to withdraw from | оставить
a troops gathering | скопление войск
in border areas adjacent | в приграничных районах, прилегающих
an industrial heartland | сердце индустрии страны

After Ukrainian troops withdraw from Crimea, there are reports of many Russian troops gathering in border areas adjacent to the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine’s industrial heartland.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
referendum voters | участники референдума
leaked documents | просочившаяся информация
to condemn | осуждать
to impose a first round of sanctions | вводить первый пакет санкций
officials | чиновники
high-ranking | высокопоставленный

On 16 March, 97% of referendum voters reportedly back the proposal to join Russia. The figure is later disputed, with leaked documents showing only 50-60% support for the move. The EU and US condemn the annexation of Crimea and impose a first round of sanctions on Russian officials and high-ranking Moscow allies in Ukraine.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
gunmen | боевики
a legacy | наследие
involvement in the region | присутствие в регионе
an insurgent | боец сил сопротивления

On 27—28 February, pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in the Crimean capital, Simferopol. The majority of Crimea’s 2.3 million population identify themselves as ethnic Russians and speak Russian—a legacy of Russia’s 200-year involvement in the region. Sevastopol in Crimea is also the historic base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Within days, the Crimean parliament votes to join Russia and calls a referendum. Russia later admits that its military helped the Crimea insurgents.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to remove the president from power | отстранить президента от власти
a police unit | подразделение полиции
disbanded | расформированный

Parliament votes to remove the president from power, with elections set for 25 May. The elite Berkut police unit, blamed for deaths of protesters, is disbanded. Parliament also votes to ban Russian as the second official language, triggering a wave of anger in Russian-speaking regions—although the vote is later overturned.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
bloodshed | кровопролитие

On 20 February, 2014, bloodshed reaches its worst since the start of the crisis. At least 88 people are killed in 48 hours in Kiev and hundreds wounded in clashes between protesters and police, including many shot by uniformed snipers. President Yanukovych disappears and protesters take control of government buildings.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
to turn deadly | обернуться жертвами
regional government offices | региональные правительственные учреждения

In mid-January, parliament passes restrictive anti-protest laws as clashes turn deadly. Anti-Yanukovych protesters begin storming regional government offices in other parts of western Ukraine.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
outraged | возмущенный
estimated | приблизительный

Outraged by the move towards Moscow, anti-government demonstrations take place in Kiev with an estimated 100,000 on the streets. By December, some 800,000 people rally in the capital and protesters occupy city hall and Independence Square.

Фраза | Перевод
--- | ---
an aspiration for integration | стремление к интеграции
predominant | господствующий

Ukraine has been torn between east and west since the collapse of theSoviet Union in 1991. Ukrainian is the main language in western regions—where there is also a long-standing aspiration for integration withEurope. However, Russian is predominant in parts of the east and south.

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