"Despite these changes and the tragedies of the Mongol era, Moscow never forgot its kinship with Kiev – connections between this ancient city and the broader Rus remained intact. The church was a crucial bond in this regard."

[bluenose]

Interesting history of The Ukraine and Russia.

The mother of Rus cities: How a legendary Russian city ended up in Ukraine

[FiatLux]

On the whole, this seems to me a fairly good, brief overview of the relationship between Russia and the Ukraine over the centuries. Unfortunately, in the West, this complicated history is all but unknown.

In my eyes, the current Russo-Ukrainian conflict is more like a civil war (stoked by outside interference) than anything else. I get the sense the average Westerner sees the conflict as a war between two distinct, old, well-established nation-states, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth.

[nidster]

I have also heard the Ukraine referred to as ‘the Borderlands’ in terms of its geographic location between East and West. Also in terms of the historical and sometimes contentious relationship between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church is also a HUGE consideration.