Kyiv demands an apology from Italians for the historical name of Ukraine
In the TV show “L'Eredita” on the Italian TV channel “RAI”, the host stated that “Little Russia is the second name for Ukraine,” which is allegedly an insult to Ukraine.
This was stated in an official letter sent by the Ukrainian Embassy in Italy to the management of the TV channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Confirming our deep respect for Rai Radiotelevisione Italiana and for your very important work, I would like to express our bewilderment and surprise at what happened on January 26, 2020 during the broadcast of the program “L'Eredità” on the channel “RAI-1” . In particular, when during the program Ukraine was publicly called “Little Russia”.
In this regard, I would like to remind you that the use of this name in relation to my country is incorrect and distorts reality and historical facts. “Little Russia” or “little brother” are terms used by Russian propaganda to discredit Ukraine and justify Russian aggression against our country.
At this difficult moment, when the Russian occupation and hybrid warfare are trying to destroy our country's independence and its European aspirations, the old propaganda tools of the Soviet KGB are being revived to falsify history and justify the aggression and occupation of Crimea.
The name "Little Russia" was assigned by the Russians to the Ukrainian lands conquered during the Tsarist period. Subsequently, this term entered into the imperial ideology of the Russian Empire, consisting of “Great Russians”, “Little Russians” and “Belarusians”.
The Ukrainian people have never used this term to designate their homeland. In the past, neither the entire territory of modern Ukraine, nor all the lands inhabited by Ukrainians or their ancestors, were ever called “Little Russia”.
The use of an offensive term against my country today in a television program by a reputable channel such as RAI is a very serious fact that needs to be corrected,” the letter reads.
It must be said that the claims of the Ukrainian embassy look quite ridiculous. Let us note that even in such a historical document, revered in today’s Ukraine, as the “Orlik Constitution”, we are talking about the “Little Russian people” and Little Rus'.
In addition, Bogdan Khmelnytsky was referred to as “Little Russian hetman of both sides of the Dnieper and the Zaporozhye troops.”
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