Unlike Hitler, Stalin did not use the word "race", but he acted identically against various population groups distinguished by their nationality, which is why I have used the word "race", to emphasize their identical behavior.
Just a couple of examples of the nationalities which were removed from the territories now in Ukraine, sent to remote areas, e.g. in Siberia or Uzbekistan, and replaced with Russians are the Tatars and the Romanians.
> Now you're just repeating Putin's own words — "Ukraine was created by Soviet Russia".
You have either misunderstood or you pretend to have misunderstood what I have said. You said that Ukraine is divided now, I said that this division mentioned by you was created by Stalin, not so long ago.
I have used the word "natives", because the natives are mostly Ukrainians but also many other minorities.
> They are two branches of the same group of people
The fact that one millennium ago their ancestors were a single people means nothing when today they do not treat each other as equals.
During the Soviet Union, those belonging to a minority, either Ukrainian or any other minority, could indeed have similar career advancement opportunities like the Russians, but only with the following conditions: master the official Russian language, never express any doubt about the bullshit history that was taught in the Soviet Union, according to which everything good in the world, in any art, science, technology and even sports, has been discovered or invented by some unknown great Russian, even if the Imperialists claim otherwise (at least this was the version of history that I have seen in the Russian manuals used prior to 1970, I do not know if the later manuals became less fantastic), never say anything that would show lack of agreement with the idea that even if the Soviet Union had a very large number of nationalities, all with equal rights, the Russians deserve to be much more equal and they must always be imitated in everything, as they know better, from political and economical organization to science and technology and even in minor aspects, e.g. the names of the soccer teams.
Basically, in the Soviet Union anyone belonging to a minority could indeed have the same success like a Russian, but by becoming a Russian.
Regarding my understanding of Ukraine's history I can assure you that I know much more correct facts than you presume, and not from secondary sources, but from direct sources, because my mother had many relatives who were deported to Siberia, robbed or murdered by Russians, in territories of the present Ukraine.
Also, I understand very well Russian so I form my opinion about the actions of Russia mainly by looking at what they themselves say, and not by what others say about Russia.