VOA常速英语:Crimea is Ukraine

Four years ago this month, Russia held an illegitimate, fabricated “referendum” in Ukraine in an attempt to legitimize its purported annexation of Ukrainian territory. Crimean residents were compelled to vote under scrutiny by heavily armed Russian troops.Russia’s claim that Ukrainians made a free choice in that illegitimate exercise lacks credibility.
4年前的这个月，俄罗斯在乌克兰举行了一次非法伪造的“公投”，意图使其吞并乌克兰领土合法化。克里米亚居民被迫在全副武装的俄罗斯部队的监视下投票。俄罗斯称乌克兰人在那次非法活动中做出了自由的选择，这是缺乏可信度的。

On March 14th, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in Crimea’s largest city, Sevastopol,before a crowd to mark the fourth anniversary of the sham “referendum.” In this campaign rally, “President Putin reiterated Russia’s false claims to Ukrainian territory in another open admission that the Russian government disdains the international order and disrespects the territorial integrity of sovereign nations,”said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert in a written statement.
3月14日，俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京在克里米亚最大的城市塞瓦斯托波尔，在民众前发表讲话，这时正值虚假“公投”4周年。在这次集会中，“普京总统重申了其在另一次公开讲话中对乌克兰领土的虚假声明，即俄罗斯政府蔑视国际秩序，不尊敬主权国家的领土完整，”国务院发言人希瑟·诺尔特在一份书面声明中表示。

“In light of Putin’s remarks,” Nauert added, “it is important to call attention to the illegitimacy of the staged ‘referendum,’ but also to the tremendous human costs the Russian government has imposed on the people of Crimea.”
“鉴于普京的言论，”诺尔特补充道，“当务之急是唤起人们对 ‘公投’非法性的关注，和对俄罗斯政府施加在克里米亚人民身上巨大人性代价的关注。”

Over the past four years, Russia has engaged in a campaign of coercion and violence, targeting anyone opposed to its attempted annexation.Russian occupation authorities have subjected Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians, pro-Ukrainian activists, civil society members,and independent journalists to politically motivated prosecution and ongoing repression,while methodically suppressing nongovernmental organizations and independent media outlets.
在过去的4年，俄罗斯致力于胁迫和暴力活动，针对任何反对其吞并意图的人。俄罗斯占领当局对克里米亚鞑靼人，乌克兰民族，支持乌克兰的激进分子，民间组织成员成员和独立的记者实施有政治动机的迫害和持续镇压，同时有步骤地压迫非政府组织和独立的新闻媒体。

“[The United States] stand[s] behind those courageous individuals who continue to speak out about these abuses and we call on Russia to cease its attempts to quell fundamental freedoms of expression,peaceful assembly and association, and religion or belief,” Nauert said.
“美国支持那些勇敢者，他们继续对这些暴行发表言论，我们呼吁俄罗斯不要试图终止基本的言论自由，和平集会和结社自由，以及宗教信仰自由，”诺尔特表示。

“We reaffirm our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.Crimea is part of Ukraine and our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine.”
“我们重申了我们的承诺，即乌克兰在其国际公认的边界内享有主权和领土完整。克里米亚是乌克兰的一部分，我们采取的克里米亚相关制裁将仍然有效，直至俄罗斯归还对乌克兰半岛的控制权。”