Ukraine did not pay $15 million to relatives of victims of the crash, because court decided that the Ukrainian rocket did not hit the plane. Final decision was in 2013.
> False. As per historical findings, the current scientific consensus is that the origins of the Rus people (who ruled Kyiv/Kiev/Kievan Rus') are traced back to Norsemen from modern Sweden.
Before Plague of Justinian, original Russia (Русся) lived in the town of Russia. After the start of plague, they abandoned their town and spread over large territory, from Caspian Sea to Spain, so, after 541, original Russians can be traced back to a lot of places.
> Also false. Existing historical and linguistic evidence do not support it
> ВКРАИНА, рж. Див. Украйна. XVI. Ино тими рази на вкраинахь оть татар многим таковая ся пригода и шкода пригожаєть Арх. ЮЗР. VIII, IV, 172 (1501). – (an approximate translation) «on those occasions at fringes (borderlands / edges – «вкраинахь») will be becoming useful and [шкода] will become useful (?)». The context is incomplete, therefore it is difficult to make sense out of it. The reference dates back to 1501.
I'm the native speaker. You are just lying there. It's clearly written, "Vkraine, See Ukraine. ...".
Also, your attempts to convince that native speakers don't know the meaning of the word are pathetic.
> Ukraine and Russia share a common, ethnic, linguistic and cultural heritage.
Ukraine is the mix of Slavs and historic Russians (русичи) (from the town of Russia, now Old Russa, on Russia river, now Porussia river). "Russians" from Russian Federations are members of Russian orthodox church or citizens of Russian Federation. There was a split between "Polish" (Catholics) and "Russian" (Eastern Orthodox) members in Ukraine a few centuries ago.
> They also share a common political heritage with the name of the country meaning borderland (of Russia).
Nope. Ukraine is the original Russia, now called Kievan Rus by RF. "Ukraine" share same word root with such words as "ukryttia" (shelter), "ukriplennia" (reinforced structure). Modern equivalent world for "ukraine" is "ukripraion" (reinforced area of defense). Poland built multiple areas of defense ("ukraines") on their eastern border, so the whole area got name "Ukraine".
> In fact Ukraine was no more an independent country than Wales until about 30 years ago.
Bohdan Khmelnytskyi was Hetman of Ukraine since 1654, almost century before Russian Empire was created in 1721.
People in Ukraine had reasons to break out of Jail of Nations, but I see no single reason to join RF instead of EU and NATO. Most Slavic nations are already in EU, except Ukraine and Belarus. Why Ukraine should join former Golden Horde?
Yes, RF started preparation to war with Ukraine in 2008. I was attacked by Russians in December 2008, so I'm at war for 14 years. However, it was clear from the first day of the fall of Soviet Union that Russian will try to recapture Ukraine, because a) Ukraine is THE historical state of Russia, while Russian Federation contains no territory named "Russia", b) Russian killed 7 million adult Ukrainians in 1932-1934 (officially confirmed number by RF) and 23 million children (not accepted by RF), c) Soviet Union planted about 20 000 agents all over Ukraine for this exact scenario: to bring Ukraine back to Soviet Union when Ukraine break out.
Tu-154 was hit by S300 rocket filled with TNT, not by S200 rocket filled by hexogen. Ukraine had no S300. End of story.
Yeah, it's the classic example of Russian propaganda machine: Russia blamed somebody else for their own error, then no evidence found for that blame, but it is too late to change opinion of peoples.
No evidence was found that a Ukrainian (or another) S200 missile hit the plane.
20 years passed - no evidence found. Moreover, now we know the name of Russian officer of air defense who ordered to shut the plane, we know that he did that because transponder was turned off on the plane, because the plane was on mission to gather intel about air defense in EU, but you still insist on replaying Russian propaganda?
Ukraine will stand idly, because Ukrainian aggression against the part of Moldova will cause troubles for Ukraine with EU and NATO. The only solution I see is to promise something valuable for Moldova to take the risk. IMHO, Ukraine can promise Königsberg for Moldova in exchange for Transnistria. Seaports on two seas can make Moldova a rich country.
Königsberg was part of Germany when annexed by Soviet Union. I see no page about Königsberg in Czech language at Wikipedia at all. Anyway, Germans were expelled, so Königsberg is populated by Russians now, which makes it similar to Transnistria, Crimea, etc.
Russian 14th army may strike from the back to support the main army, so they should be made toothless before the second wave of invasion, but Ukraine cannot attack 14th army without breaking relationships with Moldova, EU, UN, and NATO. However, Ukraine can exchange this problem (Transnistria) for another problem (Königsberg) to negate them both.
IMHO, Ukrainians should grab Königsberg for themselves after the end of war and then exchange it for something useful, e.g. exchange it for Transnistria with Moldova, instead of returning Königsberg to Germany.