Hindi English Translation || Editorial || New term, old problems: On Putin’s new term and the Ukraine war

New term, old problems: On Putin’s new term and the Ukraine war

Russia’s Vladimir Putin is finding it difficult to keep the effects of war from hitting home

One of the key decisions Vladimir Putin took after being sworn in as Russia’s President for the fifth time was to remove his long-time Minister of Defence, Sergei Shoigu. That Andrei Belousov, a civilian (असैनिक, नागरिक) economist, has been brought in to run (चलाना) the Defence Ministry shows how much the war in Ukraine has become an economic battle for Russia as it struggles to stabilise its war-time economy and keep its energy ties (संबंध) and defence production going despite biting (harsh, bitter, aggressive, stinging, scathing) western sanctions (action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc). There have been criticisms about the way Mr. Shoigu planned and executed the war, which Russia, according to western intelligence ((military/political) information, facts, details, particulars), expected to be a quick affair (मामला). But Mr. Shoigu, who successfully executed the annexation (occupation, conquering, capture, seizure, annexing, takeover) of Crimea (a peninsula along the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe. The peninsula is almost entirely surrounded by both the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The status of Crimea is disputed. It is claimed by Ukraine and in 2014 was recognized as Ukrainian by the United Nations and most other countries, but it is governed by Russia. Russia formally annexed Crimea on 18 March 2014) in 2014 and Russia’s military intervention (हस्तक्षेप) in Syria starting 2015, has deep ties with both 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)) and Russia’s defence industrial complex. Even when Russia faced setbacks (problem, difficulty, issue) initially and a rare rebellion (विद्रोह) led by the late Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin challenged the defence leadership, Mr. Putin threw his weight behind Mr. Shoigu. But now, as Mr. Putin begins a new term (कार्यकाल) with a promise to Russia of victory in Ukraine he has decided to shake up (reorganize, restructure, reshuffle, alter dramatically) the Defence Ministry and bring in (include, take in, involve (someone in a particular activity) a technocrat (a supporter of technocracy; a person who is with both political power as well as technical knowledge) whose quick and primary responsibility would be to meet military objectives quickly.

The change comes at a time when Russia has gained battlefield momentum (गति). Last week, it launched a new offensive (आक्रमण) in the northeast, in an apparent (स्पष्ट) bid (attempt, effort) to attack Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city. Ukraine is expecting new weapons from the U.S., but it is not clear whether that would be enough for its war-fatigued army to withstand (सामना करना) the Russian onslaught (हमला). Mr. Putin’s immediate goal is to win the war, but he does not have a clear path to victory either. The war has caused lasting (स्थायी) damage to Russia’s ties with the West (The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America), especially with Europe with which Mr. Putin had sought to build strong economic and energy ties, and driven (move, get along, force, urge, impel (to go in a specified direction)) Russia deeper into China’s hands. At home, he has tightened (make stricter, make more rigorous, make more stringent, stiffen, toughen) his grip (पकड़) on the state and society and is intolerant (असहिष्णु) of dissent (opposition, objection, disapproval, disagreement, difference of opinion). For now, the state has managed to prevent the effects of sanctions reaching ordinary citizens, but it remains to be seen how long the Kremlin can do so if the war continues endlessly. Ukraine has also taken the war to Russia, by attacking its Black Sea fleet (a country’s navy) and border towns, raising the costs of the war. Mr. Putin seems to be thinking that the momentum is on his side, irrespective of the challenges. But even if his troops (armed forces, forces, soldiers) make further gains in Ukraine, he would be ruling over a Russia that is internally more repressive (oppressive, dominating/coercive, authoritarian/draconian), economically weaker and isolated in the West and in a war of attrition (a military strategy consisting of aggressive attempts to win a war by wearing down (weakening) the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and materiel) with a permanently hostile (unfriendly, opposed, averse, opposing; confrontational, belligerent, bellicose) neighbour (a country that is next to another country; (bordering) country).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.term (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यकाल
English Meaning - tenure, period of/in office; period, time, stint, spell.

2.civilian (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - असैनिक, नागरिक
English Meaning - non-military, non-combatant.

3.run (verb)

Hindi Meaning - चलाना
English Meaning - be in charge of, manage, lead, govern, administer, preside over.

4.ties (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संबंध
English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

5.intolerant (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - असहिष्णु
English Meaning - narrow-minded, small-minded, hypersensitive, uncompromising, unsympathetic, prejudiced, biased, illiberal, one-sided, discriminatory.

6.affair (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मामला
English Meaning - event, incident, event, matter, episode, happening, occurrence.

7.intervention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हस्तक्षेप
English Meaning - the process of intervening in something; involvement, interference.

8.rebellion (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विद्रोह
English Meaning - defiance, resistance, dissent, disobedience, nonconformity.

9.momentum (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गति
English Meaning - the increase in the rate of development of a process; strength, impetus.

10.offensive (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आक्रमण
English Meaning - attack, assault, onslaught, incursion, thrust, act of war, act of aggression.

11.apparent (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्पष्ट
English Meaning - evident, obvious, clear, visible, noticeable.

12.withstand (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सामना करना
English Meaning - resist, oppose, combat, face, defy, endure, tolerate, put up with, live through, stand up to.

13.onslaught (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हमला
English Meaning - attack, assault, invasion, raid, act of war, incursion, offensive.

14.lasting (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्थायी
English Meaning - enduring, long-lasting, never-ending, perpetual, perennial, long-term, permanent.

15.grip (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पकड़
English Meaning - control, stranglehold, domination (over something).

16.hit home (phrase)

English Meaning - to make you to understand the true/real nature of something (unpleasant/difficult) exactly & painfully and accept it.

17.sworn in past participle of swear in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - take an oath to induct/admit into office, inaugurate, introduce (into office).

18.bring in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - include, take in, involve (someone in a particular activity).

19.biting (adjective)

English Meaning - harsh, bitter, aggressive, stinging, scathing.

20.sanctions (noun)

English Meaning - action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

21.intelligence (noun)

English Meaning - (military/political) information, facts, details, particulars.

22.annexation (noun)

English Meaning - occupation, conquering, capture, seizure, annexing, takeover.

23.Crimea (noun)

English Meaning - a peninsula along the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe. The peninsula is almost entirely surrounded by both the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The status of Crimea is disputed. It is claimed by Ukraine and in 2014 was recognized as Ukrainian by the United Nations and most other countries, but it is governed by Russia. Russia formally annexed Crimea on 18 March 2014.

24.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).

25.setback (noun)

English Meaning - problem, difficulty, issue.

26.throw one’s weight behind (phrase)

English Meaning - to use one’s power (influence) to support someone/something.

27.shake up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - reorganize, restructure, reshuffle, alter dramatically.

28.technocrat (noun)

English Meaning - a supporter of technocracy; a person who is with both political power as well as technical knowledge.

29.bid (noun)

English Meaning - attempt, effort.

30.fatigued (adjective)

English Meaning - tired, tired out, worn out, exhausted, weary, overtired, drained.

31.the West (noun)

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

32.sought past and past participle of seek (verb)

English Meaning - aim, try, attempt.

33.drive (verb)

English Meaning - move, get along, force, urge, impel (to go in a specified direction).

34.into one’s hands (phrase)

English Meaning - under someone’s control/responsibility.

35.tighten (verb)

English Meaning - make stricter, make more rigorous, make more stringent, stiffen, toughen.

36.dissent (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, objection, disapproval, disagreement, difference of opinion.

37.fleet (noun)

English Meaning - a country’s navy.

38.fleet (noun)

English Meaning - a number of vehicles/flights/ships working together (under a single ownership).

39.on someone’s side (phrase)

English Meaning - supporting someone in their opinion/position, etc.

40.troops (noun)

English Meaning - armed forces, forces, soldiers.

41.repressive (adjective)

English Meaning - oppressive, dominating/coercive, authoritarian/draconian.

42.war of attrition (noun)

English Meaning - a military strategy consisting of aggressive attempts to win a war by wearing down (weakening) the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and materiel.

43.hostile (adjective)

English Meaning - unfriendly, opposed, averse, opposing; confrontational, belligerent, bellicose.

44.neighbour (noun)

English Meaning - a country that is next to another country; (bordering) country.