Putin's take on the history and politics of Ukraine (2021)
prlib.ru
prlib.ru
However, the ending paragraph is very much at odds with the current invasion as it reads:
"And what Ukraine will be – it is up to its citizens to decide."
But it is nonetheless a good look into how Putin sees and justifies the invasion.
For Ukrainians and the West, the idea that Ukraine should be removed from the map is simply unacceptable.