As for Ukraine, don't go out of your way or break your arm patting yourself on the back in pitty of how you were the martyrs of some ficticious Soviet vendeta. All of the former empire suffered under the Soviets, with the exception of Poland, Ukrainian Poland and Finland.
As I recall, the only Ukrainian state that ever existed was from 1917 to about 1922. It was originally a German Imperial protectorate, where the German army went village to village raiding for food till Ukraine rebelled from their "liberators" and then was run by an anarchist, who switched sides between the Reds and Whites like the wind.
" My great grandfather was indeed a serf"
I said my GREAT Grandfather, not that your hair spliting matters okay? You love the straw man argument dontcha, like it would really make a difference in my argument by one generation?
Funny, Russians seemed to do okay compared to pretty much everyone else in the Soviet Union.
Isn't it enlightening that EVERY time we Ukrainians feel the grip of Russia loosen just a little we jump at the chance at independence or at least seperation from Russia? Even if it means jumping for a less then perfect alternative? 1917 when offered the opportunity by Imperial Germany ( HAD to be better then being Russian part of the Russian Empire). 1941 when offered the opportunity by Nazi Germany ( HAD to be better then the starvation and terror of the Soviet Union). Something about the Devil you don't know being preferred to the Devil you do. Now the latest in 1991 when being ruled by local gangsters seemed preferable the gangsters in Moscow.
"All of the former empire suffered under the Soviets, with the exception of Poland, "
HAHAHA. Would love to see you make that statement to my Polish friends. Pretty much demonstrates your separation from reality.