The so-called "All-Russian idea" is, in reality, an attempt by Russian chauvinists to Russify Ukrainians and assimilate them into the Russian nation. Historically, the Ukrainian language was repeatedly suppressed and banned because it was viewed as foreign to Russia.
The annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas demonstrate that many Russians view Ukrainians with hostility rather than as a "brotherly people." A true brother does not seize another's land or wage war against them. The ideology used to justify these actions was based on denying Ukraine's distinct national identity.
Supporters of the Russian-backed separatist movement in Donbas often claimed they took up arms because they believed Ukraine would force them to speak Ukrainian. Yet, in the Russian-occupied parts of Donbas, education has been conducted almost exclusively in Russian, despite the region having a large ethnic Ukrainian population.
The claim that Russians and Ukrainians are "one people" is contradicted by actions. If this belief were genuine, there would have been no war, no destruction of Ukrainian cities, and no attempts to suppress the Ukrainian language. Instead, Ukrainian has often been ignored, restricted, or banned in territories under Russian control, while Russian is imposed. This suggests that the "one people" narrative functions as a justification for assimilation rather than genuine unity.
Of course, this does not apply to every Russian individual, but it reflects the attitudes and policies supported by a large part of Russian society.
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