Hindi English Translation || Editorial || A brief respite: On Russia’s Orthodox Christmas truce in Ukraine

A brief respite: On Russia’s Orthodox Christmas truce in Ukraine

Russia’s temporary truce (युद्धविराम) should be the basis for a lasting solution

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to observe (निरीक्षण करना, पूरा करना) a 36-hour ceasefire (संघर्ष विराम) on the front line in Ukraine comes at a time when his troops (सैनिकों, सशस्त्र बल) are struggling to cope with (सामना करना, प्रबंधित करना) a series of battlefield setbacks (नाकामयाबी, कठिनाई) and mounting (increasing, rising, soaring, escalating) casualties. The Kremlin’s version is that it ordered the ceasefire, from Friday noon till Saturday midnight, as Orthodox Christians (Orthodox Christmas day occurs every January 7 because the Orthodox Church still chooses to celebrate the birth of Jesus as per the Julian calendar. Orthodox Christians are estimated to number between 200 and 300 million people globally. The largest number of Orthodox Christians live in eastern and southeastern Europe, including Russia and Ukraine. There are also significant Orthodox Christian populations in the Middle East) in both countries celebrate Christmas on January 7. Ukraine has questioned Russia’s sincerity (ईमानदारी, सच्चाई), saying the Kremlin (The name “Kremlin” means “fortress inside a city”, and is often also used metonymically to refer to the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation in a similar sense to how “White House” refers to the Executive Office of the President of the United States; Kremlin is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow city. (Metonym is used as an alternative for something else with which it is closely related/associated)) would use the pause in fighting to replenish (भरना, पुनर्भरण) and rearm its forces (armed forces, troops, soldiers) and move more soldiers to the line of contact (In general a “line of contact” refers to the demarcation/delimitation between two or more given armies, whether they are allied or belligerent). Yet, if observed by both sides, this would be the first ceasefire on the entire front line (a place of conflict/war that is closest to the enemy; war zone, combat zone, battlefront, battleground, battlefield, theatre of war) since the war began on February 24 last year. Mr. Putin’s move appears more like a sign of weakness than any serious push (धक्का, आक्रमण) for peace. On New Year’s day, Russia lost at least 89 soldiers when Ukraine targeted the eastern city of Makiivka where hundreds of troops were temporarily stationed (put on duty, post, position). In Bakhmut, the eastern city that has been under attack for six months, Ukraine says its troops pushed back (resist, oppose, or protest something) the Russians.

Russia, which made some territorial gains in the early phase of the war, has been struggling to build battlefield momentum (energy, strength, impetus) ever since Ukraine, armed (a wide area of something) and bankrolled (प्रायोजित करना, समर्थन) by the collective (सामूहिक, संयुक्त) West, started its counter-offensive (जवाबी हमला) in late August. Ukraine recaptured swathes of territories from Russia, including much of the Kharkiv Oblast in the north-east and Kherson city in the south. Faced with battlefield setbacks, Gen. Sergey Surovikin, the new commander for the war, changed strategy (रणनीति, योजना) — he redirected the offensive focus towards Donetsk, started building stronger defence (protection, security, fortification, safeguarding) lines across the vast front line, and launched (start, begin, bring out) a heavy bombardment (bombing, shelling (continuous attack)) campaign (an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group) targeting Ukraine’s critical energy (electrical power, power) infrastructure (the basic physical or organizational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc). The air strikes (air attack) have partially damaged Ukraine’s energy grid (electrical grid, power grid; an interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers) and disrupted power and water supplies to millions, but they have not changed the ground reality (practical condition/situation). If Ukraine survives winter, fighting could pick up (increase, improve, recover, become stronger, get better) pace (momentum, speed). The U.S. and Germany have already announced that they would send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine. The U.S., France and Germany would also be sending armoured vehicles (combat vehicle, tank), to better prepare Kyiv (Capital of Ukraine) for the coming land war. Cornered (gain control of, gain dominance of, take over, control, dominate) in the war theatre (battleground, battle field, theatre, arena of war), Mr. Putin might come under (be subject to) enhanced (increased) pressure to escalate (increase, intensify, heighten, amplify) the conflict. But continuing this war will be costly (ruinous, disastrous, devastating, crippling, damaging, harmful, woeful, awful, terrible, unfortunate) for all sides. If the ceasefire holds for 36 hours, Mr. Putin should extend it further and seek (request, ask for, appeal for; try, aim, attempt) dialogue, without preconditions (necessary condition, requirement, necessity), with both Ukraine and its backers (supporter, upholder, defender, champion, advocate, adherent) in the West (पश्चिम). The temporary truce should be the beginning of a lasting one.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.brief (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संक्षिप्त, अस्थायी
English Meaning - short, temporary, short-lived, transient, momentary.

2.truce (noun)

Hindi Meaning - युद्धविराम संधि
English Meaning - temporary cessation/suspension (of hostilities); ceasefire, armistice.

3.observe (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - निरीक्षण करना, पूरा करना
English Meaning - obey, follow, fulfil, comply with, abide by, conform to, adhere to (a religious obligation).

4.ceasefire (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष विराम
English Meaning - a negotiated agreement that will be accompanied by other associated commitments to de-escalate the fighting; a temporary stoppage of war, truce, armistice.

5.troops (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सैनिकों, सशस्त्र बल
English Meaning - armed forces, forces, soldiers.

6.cope with (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सामना करना, प्रबंधित करना
English Meaning - manage, handle, confront, face up to, tackle.

7.setback (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नाकामयाबी, कठिनाई
English Meaning - problem, difficulty, issue.

8.sincerity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ईमानदारी, सच्चाई
English Meaning - honesty, probity, integrity, seriousness, openness.

9.replenish (verb)

Hindi Meaning - भरना, पुनर्भरण
English Meaning - refill, fill up, recharge, reload; stock up, restock, restore.

10.push (noun)

Hindi Meaning - धक्का, आक्रमण
English Meaning - a spirited/determined effort to do something.

11.bankroll (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रायोजित करना, समर्थन
English Meaning - sponsor, support, back financially; fund, finance.

12.collective (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सामूहिक, संयुक्त
English Meaning - combined, united/joint, cooperative (by all people as a group).

13.the West (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पश्चिम
English Meaning - The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America.

14.counter-offensive (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जवाबी हमला
English Meaning - counter-attack.

15.strategy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रणनीति, योजना
English Meaning - plan of action (in order to achieve a more expansive set of political, economic, and security interests).

16.lasting (adjective)

English Meaning - long-term, permanent, long-standing.

17.respite (noun)

English Meaning - stoppage, cessation, discontinuation; break, pause, rest, interval.

18.orthodox (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church recognises January 7th as the day that Jesus was born.

19.Orthodox Christmas (noun)

English Meaning - Orthodox Christmas day occurs every January 7 because the Orthodox Church still chooses to celebrate the birth of Jesus as per the Julian calendar. Orthodox Christians are estimated to number between 200 and 300 million people globally. The largest number of Orthodox Christians live in eastern and southeastern Europe, including Russia and Ukraine. There are also significant Orthodox Christian populations in the Middle East.

20.front line (noun)

English Meaning - a place of conflict/war that is closest to the enemy; war zone, combat zone, battlefront, battleground, battlefield, theatre of war.

21.mount (adjective)

English Meaning - increasing, rising, soaring, escalating.

22.casualty (noun)

English Meaning - victim, fatality, mortality, loss, death.

23.Kremlin (noun)

English Meaning - The name “Kremlin” means “fortress inside a city”, and is often also used metonymically to refer to the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation in a similar sense to how “White House” refers to the Executive Office of the President of the United States; Kremlin is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow city. (Metonym is used as an alternative for something else with which it is closely related/associated).

24.rearm (verb)

English Meaning - provide with a new supply of weapons.

25.forces (noun)

English Meaning - armed forces, troops, soldiers.

26.Line of Contact (noun)

English Meaning - In general a “line of contact” refers to the demarcation/delimitation between two or more given armies, whether they are allied or belligerent.

27.station (verb)

English Meaning - put on duty, post, position.

28.push back (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - resist, oppose, or protest something.

29.momentum (noun)

English Meaning - energy, strength, impetus.

30.arm (verb)

English Meaning - equip/supply with firearms.

31.swathe (noun)

English Meaning - a wide area of something.

32.Oblast (noun)

English Meaning - an administrative division or region in Russia and the former Soviet Union, and in some Slavic countries.

33.offensive (noun)

English Meaning - attack, thrust, invasion, onslaught, incursion, assault, act of aggression.

34.Donbas region (noun)

English Meaning - a historical, cultural, and economic region in south-eastern Ukraine, some of whose territory (Donetsk and Luhansk) is occupied by two separatist groups in the course of the Russo-Ukrainian War. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has recognized the independence of these two separatist regions in Ukraine.

35.defence (noun)

English Meaning - protection, security, fortification, safeguarding.

36.launch (verb)

English Meaning - start, begin, bring out.

37.bombardment (noun)

English Meaning - bombing, shelling (continuous attack).

38.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group.

39.critical (adjective)

English Meaning - crucial, essential, all-important.

40.energy (noun)

English Meaning - electrical power, power.

41.infrastructure (noun)

English Meaning - the basic physical or organizational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc.

42.air strike (noun)

English Meaning - air attack.

43.energy grid (noun)

English Meaning - electrical grid, power grid; an interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers.

44.ground reality (noun)

English Meaning - practical condition/situation.

45.survive (verb)

English Meaning - endure, withstand, live through, get through, sustain oneself.

46.pick up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - increase, improve, recover, become stronger, get better.

47.pace (noun)

English Meaning - momentum, speed.

48.Patriot missile defence system or Patriot battery (noun)

English Meaning - Patriot stands for “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept of Target”- is designed to counter and destroy incoming short-range ballistic missiles, advanced aircraft and cruise missiles. The Patriot built by Raytheon Technologies Corp is a surface-to-air guided missile system that was first deployed in the 1980s. considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the U.S. arsenal. The battery (mobile system) includes missiles and launching stations, a radar set that detects and tracks targets, and an engagement control station, a power generator and other support vehicles.

49.missile (noun)

English Meaning - a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile.

50.armoured vehicle (noun)

English Meaning - combat vehicle, tank.

51.Kyiv (proper noun)

English Meaning - Capital of Ukraine.

52.corner (verb)

English Meaning - gain control of, gain dominance of, take over, control, dominate.

53.war theatre (noun)

English Meaning - battleground, battle field, theatre, arena of war.

54.come under (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - be subject to.

55.enhanced (adjective)

English Meaning - increased.