俄軍發射巡航導彈打擊敘利亞反政府武裝
Russia sharply escalated its military campaign against Syrian rebel groups yesterday, launching 26 long-range cruise missiles from ships in the Caspian Sea to support a land offensive by the regime of Bashar al-Assad and its allies.
俄羅斯昨日大幅升級打擊敘利亞反政府組織的軍事行動，從裏海(Caspian Sea)的軍艦上發射26枚遠程巡航導彈，以此支持巴沙爾阿薩德(Bashar al-Assad)政權及其盟友發動的地面攻勢。
In the single heaviest day of bombing since Moscow’s air campaign began last week, Russian aircraft also struck anti-Assad forces as part of the first fully co-ordinated military operation with Damascus and Tehran against rebel forces.
這是自莫斯科方面上週開始空襲以來火力最強大的一天，俄羅斯戰機也打擊了反阿薩德武裝，這是俄軍首次與敘利亞和伊朗全面協調打擊反政府武裝的軍事行動。
Even as Russia upped its military efforts, however, President Vladimir Putin signalled willingness to restart diplomatic negotiations over Syria’s future — albeit on his terms.
然而，在俄羅斯加強軍事行動的同時，俄羅斯總統弗拉基米爾渠京(Vladimir Putin)表示願意就敘利亞的未來重啓外交談判——儘管是按他開出的條件。
“We understand that such conflicts must end with a political solution,” Mr Putin said at a meeting with Sergei Shoigu, his defence minister.
“我們明白這類衝突必須以某種政治解決方案結束，”普京在與俄羅斯國防部長謝爾蓋紹伊古(Sergei Shoigu)開會時表示。
It was the first time Russia has used its cruise armoury in conflict. “The attacks show our missiles are efficient at long range, up to 1,500km,” Mr Shoigu told Russian media.
這是俄羅斯首次在實戰中使用巡航導彈。“攻擊表明我們的導彈在長達1500公里的遠程打擊中是高效率的，”紹伊古向俄羅斯媒體表示。
The announcement, which followed two incursions of Turkish airspace by Russian jets this week, will unsettle Nato ahead of its quarterly meeting of defence ministers in Brussels today.
俄方作出這一宣佈之前，俄羅斯戰機本週兩次闖入土耳其領空，這些事態將使北約(Nato)感到不安。北約各國國防部長今日匯聚布魯塞爾舉行季度會議。
The use of high-tech munitions marks a shift in Russian military posture, reflecting Moscow’s ability to project power. “It has been a long-term ambition by Russia to develop this long-range capability,” said Doug Barrie, analyst at the Institute for International and Strategic Studies.
利用高科技武器裝備標誌着俄羅斯軍事姿態的轉變，反映出莫斯科方面投射實力的能力。“發展這種遠程作戰能力是俄羅斯的長期野心，”國際戰略研究所(International Institute for Strategic Studies)的分析員道格巴里(Doug Barrie)表示。
