Russian President Vladimir Putin is convinced that Ukraine is deprived of statehood; For the Kremlin this is a sufficient reason "to climb into Ukraine with his army".

This opinion was expressed in an interview with the "Observer" by the Russian and American historian, art and culture theorist, philosopher, film critic, philologist, professor of New York University Mikhail Yampolsky.

He recalled that Putin "has repeatedly said:" Ukraine is not a state ".

"It's not that in Ukraine, some kind of people, not the same identity, not that culture. No. Ukraine for him is something that has no real statehood, "the historian explained..

"The weakness of the state, in their opinion, is connected with the fact that in Ukraine there are real parties between which there is a real struggle, there are real elections and so on," added Yampolsky.

In this context, he noted: "We must admit that in Ukraine there really is a weakness of the state". "But this arrogance towards Ukraine is largely based on the view of the state, which would like to be absolutist (it is not so, because everything is already falling apart) in relation to a country in which they do not see strong state power.

For them, this is a sufficient justification to climb into Ukraine with their army, "said the expert..

The first part of the interview with Mikhail Yampolsky read here.

As the "Observer" wrote, Mikhail Yampolsky earlier said that the Russian Orthodox Church has been part of the state complex for centuries and fulfills "an ideological function under the monarchy"; Patriarch Cyril serves the state, and "the state generously pays him for it".

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