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MURMANSK, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir
Putin said Wednesday he felt responsible for the Kursk submarine
tragedy, but defended the nation"s military and lashed
out at his critics. In his first public remarks since
the 118 crew members of the sunken submarine were pronounced
dead, he said anyone found to be to blame in the disaster
would be punished, but he would not rush to judgement and
had refused resignations of the defense minister and
top navy commanders.
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His remarks, in an interview with RTR state television, came
at the end of a day of mourning, when across Russia flags
were lowered and church services held to mourn the sailors.
"I have a great feeling of responsibility and guilt for this
tragedy," the president said, seated in a black suit in
front of a Russian flag, leaving long pauses between his words.
He gave the interview after returning to Moscow from
the Kursk"s home base, the small military port of Vidyayevo,
where he held a six-hour overnight meeting with relatives
of the dead. He described the meeting in emotional terms.
"First of all about the meeting, what can I say here. Words
are not enough, they are difficult to find. I want to wail."
But he said there would be no wave of sackings.
He had turned down resignations offered by Defense Minister
Igor Sergeyev, navy chief Vladimir Kuroyedov and Northern
Fleet commander Vyacheslav Popov, he said. "Yesterday and
today, rather experienced people, politicians, have said that
I must show a strong character and should sack somebody
... and best of all, put someone in jail -- but this is the
most simple way out of this situation and in my opinion would
be a mistake," he said. "Nothing will be done, I repeat, until
a full understanding has been gained about what happened and
why," Putin said.
难点词汇:
submarine 潜艇 lash out 抨击 disaster 灾难 resignation
辞职书
navy 海军 tragedy 悲剧 interview采访 sack 解雇
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