Russians and Ukrainians are one people - Putin

MOSCOW. March 3 (Interfax) - The Russians and Ukrainian are one people despite many in Ukraine having been fooled by nationalist propaganda, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"I will never disavow my conviction that the Russians and Ukrainians are one people, even though some in Ukraine have been intimidated and many fooled by nationalist propaganda, while others still, of course, have conscientiously gone down the path of the supporters of Bandera and other Nazi abettors who fought alongside Hitler during the [1941-45] Great Patriotic War," Putin told the permanent members of the Russian Security Council on Thursday.