Russians treated and continue to treat Ukrainians as "younger brothers", part of the "one people", but in reality there were never any fraternal relations between them.

This opinion was expressed to the "Observer" by the Russian politician, the president of the All-Russian public movement "Union of Right Forces" Leonid Gozman.

Answering the question why the country, which called itself fraternal, today wishes death and destruction to its "brother", the politician explained: "The Ukrainians were not just brothers - they were younger brothers".

"All but Russia were younger brothers. Remember posters about the friendship of peoples, where everything is in national clothes, and in the center there is a guy who symbolizes Russia - he is wearing European clothes, "added Gozman.

He told that "behind the national republics there was an ethnographic attraction. You were just like us, but only younger ".

"But in fact, no one loved each other. Prejudice was absolutely in everyone, they should not be attributed only to Russian and Russia, "the oppositionist said..

He also drew attention to the fact that the countries of the Baltic and Asia, which were once part of the Union, were viewed by Russians as something alien. "The Balts have always been something artificial for our empire, something captured, conquered. Everyone understood that the Baltic states are different, it is not the Soviet Union. The same was said about Asia. They were forever strangers. But with Ukraine and with Belarus the situation is different. We are "one people". This is repeated and repeated by Vladimir Putin. It's not true, but he believes in it and he repeats it so ".

"And even your language is not real. At us many continue to consider, that the Ukrainian language is a little spoiled Russian. Remember, Putin recently talked about the Ukrainian language as Russian with some nice features, "said the politician.

Thus, "since there is a perception that we are one people, there is resentment towards Ukrainians and disappointment. You are younger brothers, we have always done so much for you, and you have proved so ungrateful, "he concluded..