The sad thing here is that in Russia there is a lot of educated and intelligent people due to communism opening education for the masses. It's just that the system and leadership is rotten. There is no antagonism between Ukrainians and Russians, except what Putin is trying to create.
He simply wants a divided, weak and easily manipulated Ukraine on his doorstep. And of course some Ukrainian elements rightly have become anti-russian because of the constant dominance through centuries. Putin is just creating more of them, which fits his plans perfectly. Both Right Sector and Berkut are serving Putins plans.
A Russian friend of mine was just organizing a workshop in Kiev a week ago
with no problems whatsoever. As people, Russians and Ukrainians are almost the same and brothers and apparently that haven't changed much recently even with Putin's hardest efforts.
The best way to describe whats happening is that Russia is staging a grand theatre, a comedy ridiculing the hypocrite and schizophrenic/democratic west, at the same time punishing Ukraine into submission.
Of course the Russians themselves knows the government is lying, but it's just so much fun to see the Naive west bite the propaganda, again and again. A sweet sense of victory after 20 years of shame. Thats the buttons Putin is pushing.
Let me tell you this. EU is not a threat, and most of their directives would do amazing things to Russian society. Russia will anyway always be able to attain a special position protecting it from attacks on their vast land and resources. Yes, I think Russia should join EU under special exceptions like protection of industry and resources.
It would definitely be better for the Russian people. 1000 times better than being under criminal oligarchs.
@Butan, you are a nice guy, but politically I think I know who you are. You are a Russian ex-pat, or from Russian ancestry living in France. The ex-pats are always the most extreme.. Go to Russia and see how fucked up it is for yourself.
@Tovi..
I just have to laugh, but people with weird theories just need to get out of the house and see how the world works for themselves. It's really no need for illuminati to describe the world.