Analysis
While Russia and Ukraine share deep historical, cultural, and religious connections—such as the Kyivan Rus' legacy and Orthodox Christianity—Putin’s framing erases centuries of Ukrainian statehood (e.g., Cossack Hetmanate, 17th–18th centuries) and the 20th-century struggle for independence. His assertion implies a hierarchical relationship, dismissing Ukraine’s post-Soviet sovereignty and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, where Russia *recognized* Ukraine’s borders. The claim weaponizes history to justify political narratives rather than reflecting scholarly consensus on Ukraine’s autonomy.
Background
Putin’s 2021 essay was published amid escalating tensions with Ukraine, preceding the 2022 full-scale invasion. It echoes longstanding Kremlin rhetoric that portrays Ukraine as an ‘artificial state’—a narrative contested by historians like Serhii Plokhy (*The Gates of Europe*), who argue Ukraine’s identity formed *parallel* to Russia’s. The essay also omits Soviet-era repression (e.g., Holodomor, Russification policies) that shaped Ukrainian nationalism.
Verdict summary
Putin’s claim conflates historical ties with modern sovereignty, ignoring Ukraine’s distinct national identity and political independence since 1991.