The Ukraine has no history of its own.
It is "the contested lands" between the Old Polish Empire and Russia.
Those are adversaries, and can not coexist in the same country.
If you want to get a better feel for how hated the Old Polish Empire was, I suggest the movie "Taras Bulba" with Yul Brenner and Tony Curtis as Cossacks abused by the Polish.
Its not quite accurate since it leaves Russia out of the movie completely.
But it shows the arrogance and racism of the Old Polish Empire.
{...
Plot
In the 17th century, Ukraine, Russia,
Poland, and elsewhere in eastern Europe are divided into small sections and principalities that fight each other or against one enemy: in this case, the
Ottoman Empire. A battle rages between the Turks and the Poles. The Poles are losing until the
Cossacks arrive to save the day. However, it turns out that the Poles are merely holding back in order to treacherously attack the Cossacks after they win the battle for them. As a result, the Poles become masters of Ukraine and the Cossacks are subjugated. Taras Bulba, one of the Cossack colonels, returns home to raise his family but now it is under Polish dominion. Taras and the other Cossacks of the Cossack Brotherhood burn their farms and take to the hills and forests rather than submit to the Poles.
Two decades later, Taras sends his two sons, Andriy and Ostap to the academy at
Kiev, to obtain a Polish education. There, the elder son, Andriy, falls in love with a Polish princess, Natalia Dubrov, to the ire of the locals, who treat the Cossack brothers like scum of the earth. Ultimately, the brothers are forced to flee Kiev, returning to their father’s house on the
Ukrainian steppes.
There, word comes that the Poles want the Cossacks to raise an army to help them in a new war. When Andriy objects to fighting for the Poles, he is accused of being a coward. This is a serious offense that can only be resolved by a test of courage. Andriy and his accuser ride and jump their horses over a chasm until God chooses which one is right by having the accuser fall to his death. Taras embraces Andriy’s lead. He plans to betray the Poles and take back Ukraine.
Ivan Mykola, Hetman of the Cossack Brotherhood, summons the Brotherhood to fight in the
Baltic region under Polish command. Taras Bulba balks, saying the time has come to avenge the Polish treachery of twenty years before. The Hetman says he has sworn the Brotherhood will follow him to the Baltic. Taras says they will not go and calls on the Brethren to decide whom they will follow. They choose Taras. The deposed Hetman says he cannot follow, and is ridden down by the Brotherhood as Taras takes the Holy Banner of St. Michael and with it, command.
...}
en.wikipedia.org
