Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russians and Ukrainians are "practically one people" and that Ukraine will survive the difficulties it currently faces when it releases itself from "external control."
At a meeting with representatives of Crimea’s national associations, President Putin expressed hope that Ukraine and Russia would develop together. He also noted that 3 million Ukrainian citizens reside in Russia, most of whom are males of military age.
Interfax reports:
"I am sure that, despite all of the difficulties of today’s time, the situation in Ukraine will improve, Ukraine will positively develop, it will cease the shameful practices that we see today, namely placing an entire huge European country [Ukraine] under external management, with foreign citizens in key positions in the government and regions," [Putin] added.
According to Putin, this situation is humiliating for the Ukrainian people.
"[These practices] will obviously be judged by the Ukrainian people, and Ukraine will recover and will develop positively, together with Russia Ukraine will build its future."
Putin also said that Ukrainians make up the third largest segment of the Russian people, after Russians and Tatars.
"Five million Tatars live in Russia, and three million Ukrainians–not counting those who are in Russia on a temporary basis and are Ukrainian citizens. We also have around three million such citizens [Ukrainian citizens in Russia], and the vast majority of them are males of military age," said the president.
In August 2014, Putin told a youth camp that Russians and Ukrainians are "practically one people." At that time, violence in Ukraine was at a high and separatist forces were pressing towards Mariupol, as they are again now.
Putin’s disapproval of foreign leaders in the Ukrainian government brings to mind similar concerns regarding the nationality of separatist leaders last year. At the end of July 2014, Alexander Borodai, Igor Strelkov, and Valeriy Bolotov, Russian-born leaders of the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic all suddenly "withdrew" from their posts and were replaced with Ukrainian-born leaders.