“For Stalin to have complete centralized power in his hands, he found it necessary to physically destroy the second largest Soviet republic, meaning the annihilation of the Ukrainian peasantry, Ukrainian intelligentsia, Ukrainian language, and history as understood by the people; to do away with Ukraine and things Ukrainian as such. The calculation was very simple, very primitive: no people, therefore, no separate country, and thus no problem.”

—  James Mace

Speech at the International Conference on the Holocaust and Genocide in Tel Aviv (1982).

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American historian of the Ukraine 1952–2004

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“The Soviet Government deems it its sacred duty to extend the hand of assistance to its brother Ukrainians and White Russians inhabiting Poland.”

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“We in Russia have always considered Russians and Ukrainians to be one people. I still think so.””

Vladimir Putin (1952) President of Russia, former Prime Minister

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18 March 2015 speech at a Moscow concert on the first anniversary of the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation
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“There are historians here, and people with their own views on our country’s history might argue with me, but I think that the Russian and Ukrainian peoples are practically one single people, no matter what others might say.”

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Вот люди, которые имеют свои собственные взгляды, здесь историков очень много, на историю нашей страны, могут поспорить, но мне кажется, что русский и украинский народ – это практически один народ, вот кто бы чего ни говорил.
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“Vasyl Slipak showed by his example an incredible will of Ukrainians to defend their native land. As a volunteer fighter, he demonstrated an example of patriotism and self-sacrifice to many, particularly our young people.”

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