Welcome to Russian History Retold, episode 213, the Russian Ukrainian Crisis.

As you may have guessed, some listeners and family members and friends have requested

my opinion about the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Well, it really isn't a historical question, and this is a historical podcast, I felt that

it is an important issue to cover.

I hope that my thoughts will give you better understanding of what's happening, and clarify

the muddled messages presented by the media and the propaganda machine in Russia.

Having said that, my opinion may make me a target of the Russian leader, however, I'm

hoping that I'll kind of fly under the radar.

Let's begin with a recent statement made by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

So, modern Ukraine was entirely and fully created by Russia, more specifically the Bolshevik

Communist Russia.

This process began practically immediately after the 1917 revolution.

Moreover, Lenin as his associates did it in the sloppiest way in relation to Russia,

by dividing, tearing from her pieces of her own historical territory.

In my opinion, this is utter revisionist nonsense.

Ukraine was where Russia got its start, and in particular, their capital, Kiev.

Putin treats Ukraine now as a child of Russia, whereas it's really more like a sibling

or an uncle.

Almost all Ukrainians speak Russian, although the latest statistics I've seen is that 75%

viewed Ukrainian as their native language, while the remaining 25% said it was Russian.

Still, there was a profound feeling of nationalist pride in being Ukrainian.

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