The main topic of recent society has focused on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and people hope that this war will end peacefully as soon as possible. At the same time, people also have a question, why are they both independent countries after the collapse of the Soviet Union, why can't they go in the same direction? This brings us to their history.
The founding of Russia
The East Slavs were the first people to live in the plains of Eastern Europe, and the savage state was their way of life, and there were numerous tribal alliances, which often had some strife between these tribes. It was not until the ninth century, with the arrival of a Rus' tribe of Normans, that the situation changed.
When the Rus' first came, there were very few people, and they could only establish their own homes along the riverbank and merge with the East Slavs. Over time, the Rus' gradually grew and established the Rurik dynasty in Kiev, which is also considered to be the origin of Russia.
Kiev became the center of the East Slavs from then on, and it was not until the second western expedition of the Mongols that the tranquility of the city was broken. They destroyed almost all the countries on the plains of Eastern Europe and established the Golden Horde.
Because mongolia has a small population, it is unable to rule such a large land, so it supports Moscow as their spokesman. Responsible for taxing all rus' principalities, he was equivalent to a great steward of Mongolia.
In addition to helping the Mongols, Moscow often led its own troops to fight in the east and the west to expand its territory. Eventually, with the help of the Mongols, the Muscovite Principality gradually gained a foothold. According to the Mongol management model, Moscow formulated a household registration and tax policy to maintain the operation of the principality through taxation. This principality later developed into today's Russia.
Free groups assembled in Ukraine
After Russia became strong, by the 15th century it gradually entered the era of centralized power, and the serfs were increasingly controlled more and more strictly. Because the control is too harsh, many people do not want to accept the control, so they escape and live a wandering life. This group grew larger and larger, and became known as the Cossacks. That is, "free" or "brave".
As a result of the previous Massacre by the Mongols, the land of Ukraine was sparsely populated, and the Cossacks gradually gathered here, integrated with the locals, formed tribal organizations, and established camps in the middle reaches of the Dnieper River, thus beginning the history of Ukraine.
The Getman system was a Cossack administration, and the Cossack leader was Geitman, elected by the people, and the chief was not hereditary. This culture, incompatible with Russia's totalitarian system, coupled with the fact that the Cossacks themselves fled from Russia, also have a deep dissatisfaction with Russia.
Great powers roam around, surviving in the cracks
As Ukraine took shape, Poland and Lithuania grew stronger and later merged into a single kingdom in the 15th century. At the same time, the Turks also established a powerful Ottoman Turkish Empire, and Ukraine survived among three powerful powers.
In order to survive, the Ukrainians will either unite with Turkey against Russia, or ally with Poland against Turkey, or cooperate with Turkey to attack Russia. It has always relied on uniting one big country to resist another big country to brush up on the sense of existence.
Become part of Russia
In 1647, in order to fight against Poland, Ukraine finally came together with Russia, signed a joint treaty, defeated the Polish army, and thus began to merge with Russia.
By the 18th century, Poland was divided between Russia and Prussia and Austria, and later Russia defeated Turkey many times, and Ukraine became part of Russia.
After the establishment of the Soviet Union, both the re-independent Ukraine and Russia became republics of the Soviet Union. After Khrushchev, who had served as Ukraine's leader, came to power, in order to "reward" Ukraine, Crimea was assigned to Ukraine.
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, and both Russia and Ukraine were separated. Because Ukrainians have always had a bad feeling for Russia, the Crimean crisis broke out in 2014. So Ukraine has been committed to joining NATO and the European Union.
In order to prevent nato and the EU from expanding eastward and maintain its sphere of influence, Russia will never allow Ukraine to fall into the arms of NATO and the EU. Contradictions have been intensifying, so that they have developed to the present day.