Central to Vladimir Putin’s claim that Ukraine is historically part of some greater Russia, and the staged plebiscites recently in the Russian-occupied territory, it is worth looking back on the actual votes cast in Ukraine back in 1991 when it had a referendum on the question of independence from the post-Soviet Union. Only in Crimea was there any serious sentiment in favor of remaining with Russia, and even there not a majority. I suspect most Ukrainians still have long memories of their treatment at the hands of Russia over the centuries.
