Questions

Nowadays, it is worth asking whether it is the state that creates the nation.

Take Bavaria, for example. You know Bayern Munich; it represents the German state of Bavaria. If Bavaria were separated and turned into an independent country, would Bavarians suddenly become a separate nation, or would they still be Germans?

The genetic difference between a Russian from Moscow and a Ukrainian from Kyiv is smaller than the difference between a Saxon and a Bavarian.

When people think of Bavaria, they think of its distinctive green feathered hats and traditional clothing, its Catholic population, its industry, and its unique accent. As a state within Germany, Bavaria differs considerably from the rest of the country. By contrast, many of the things presented as symbols of Ukraine are also associated with Russia. There may be regional differences, of course—it is, after all, a border region. The word "Ukraine" literally means "borderland," the southwestern frontier of Russia.

Historically, there had never been a Ukrainian state, whereas Bavaria did exist as a state and was initially reluctant to join German unification. The region over which the Crimean War was fought was once home to the Crimean Khanate. After the collapse of the Golden Horde, first the Dasht-i Kipchak and then Crimea came under Russian control, and Russians—who, for some reason, would later come to be called Ukrainians—were settled in these territories.

According to this view, Western powers constructed a Ukrainian identity through a divide-and-rule strategy, much like Napoleon did in Egypt. (In fact, the Russians used a similar strategy by separating Azerbaijan from Iran, even though Azerbaijan had naturally been part of Iran.)

Additional note: It was not Russia but the Western bloc that, by bringing about the collapse of the Soviet Union, pushed millions of Ukrainian and Moldovan women into poverty and prostitution in countries such as Turkey.

Awright, luv? 'Ow ya doin'? Fancy goin' dahn the pub fer a pint

I think they're physically attractive, but I absolutely hate the typical British makeup style