Putin wants to 'Integrate' with Ukraine: Russians and Ukrainians are Brothers

[jone]

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/the-inner-putin-coming-out-russian-president-touts-integration-with-ukraine

In a major policy speech, Putin now wants to 'Integrate' with Ukraine.   

Anyone who is familiar with Eastern Europe, and Russia, in particular, will know that Russians disdain Ukrainians.   When the Russian invasion into Ukraine occurred in 2014, anyone with a VK account could see all of the slights and insults hurled towards the Ukrainians by the Russians.  I happened to be in Russia that year and watched as everyone wore St. George ribbons as a sign of solidarity against Ukraine.  Russians generally view Ukrainians as substandard and nekulturny (a pejorative meaning without culture).

The big lie that was the Russian invasion of Ukraine, whereby Russian GRU forces invaded Ukraine and blamed it on the locals still is an open wound.   We all remember the 75th Paratroopers out of Perm who assaulted the Donbas.   Then there were the idiots assigned to take the administrative buildings in Kharkiv and took over the Opera House instead, because they weren't local and didn't know the difference.

The Russians lie to themselves all of the time.   It is part of their culture.  If Putin wants to sell his own people on the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are brothers, then he should also point out the Cargo 200 trucks that came home with his own dead, the result of Ukrainians fighting back against Russian aggression.   To date Russia has killed over 10,000 Ukrainians in the latest war. 

So, no.   I think any thinking that Russia can immediately become friends with Ukraine will not be heard by the Ukrainians.  Don't put noodles on their ears.

[msmob]

Jone, I was also in Russia when the St Georges ribbons ( георгиевская ленточка) - later banned in Ukraine - were worn to remember the dead from the great Patriotic war .. 

It did NOT mean Russians in general supported interfering in Ukraine - in fact we and they were all told they weren't .... 

[Boethius]

Russians generally view Ukrainians as substandard and nekulturny (a pejorative meaning without culture).

I think in English, it is more accurately translated as "uncivilized" - white trash or chav.  Which is hilarious, because most FSU culture is the same, emanating from Bolshevism, i.e., it's all "working class".


In Central/Eastern Ukraine, this message will be accepted positively.  Not so in Western Ukraine.


This post was composed without the aid of google.

[ML]

I agree with Jon e original post here.