In the Bloggers & Personal forum, on a thread titled Update from Ukraine | Ruzzia Prepares the Big Aviation Strike on Ukraine, gleeaikin wrote: to ransomnote “It’s Ukraine…….NOT “The Ukraine”.”
Useful fact: “The Ukraine” in Russian literally translates as “the borderland”, which exactly explains Putins position regarding Ukraine. It is not a separate country, it is part of Russia’s border and should be recaptured. Which explains the whole war mindset.
When you see “the Ukraine” used where a native English speaker would use “Ukraine” then you can be sure the writer is at minimum a pro Russia/Putin fellow-traveler, or more likely a paid part of the Russian/Putin propaganda machine. On the other hand if they are a pro Russia/Putin commenter, they could also have been trained not to give themselves away through ignorance of what I have just explained above.
I never spend any time worrying about what words and phrases trolls want me to say, order me to use etc.
This time it's ironic though, because the Ukraine won't exist in its present form much longer anyway. NATO can't supply it with enough ammo - Putin is destroying the conscripts the Ukraine puts in front of the Russian Army. Russia and surrounding countries will divide up the land and we'll all have new names for the region.
“...When you see “the Ukraine” used where a native English speaker would use “Ukraine” ....”
Or the writer is just ignorant! That’s not unheard of!
Also, Kiev (and yes, I am continuing to spell it this way!) I should say Kievan Rus is the cradle of much of Russian Culture. The part that is not Mongol Despotism. A Russian nationalist would have a hard time conceiving of a separate Ukraine. The Stalin years were just something that sort of happened, not to be taken seriously. Ukrainians have a different take on that!
Nothing I have said should be interrelated as being pro-Russian or a desire for US intervention on the side of the Ukrainians.
“… When you see “the Ukraine” used where a native English speaker would use “Ukraine” then you can be sure the writer is at minimum a pro Russia/Putin fellow-traveler, or more likely a paid part of the Russian/Putin propaganda machine…”
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“gleeaikin” is absolutely wrong on this. Until 2014 use of “the Ukraine” to speak of the country was in general use in the English (at least American English) language. I used to use that to refer to that country and it took me some tine to break that habit. Similarly, it took me a little time to automatically refer to the (at the time) new name for the capital of mainland China. I likely never will change how I refer to Turkey as that would take a letter not included in the 26 English letters.
So, no, anybody who slips and refers to the old name for Ukraine should not be considered a Russian commie.
Yeah because The NATO will send The Ukraine The Jets and The Artillery.
The Lockheed Martin and The General Dynamics will build The Weapons and The Tanks for The Ukraine.
The snow finally stopped in The Northern The Michigan.
The.