" My great grandfather was indeed a serf"
I said my GREAT Grandfather, not that your hair spliting matters okay? You love the straw man argument dontcha, like it would really make a difference in my argument by one generation?
Funny, Russians seemed to do okay compared to pretty much everyone else in the Soviet Union.
Isn't it enlightening that EVERY time we Ukrainians feel the grip of Russia loosen just a little we jump at the chance at independence or at least seperation from Russia? Even if it means jumping for a less then perfect alternative? 1917 when offered the opportunity by Imperial Germany ( HAD to be better then being Russian part of the Russian Empire). 1941 when offered the opportunity by Nazi Germany ( HAD to be better then the starvation and terror of the Soviet Union). Something about the Devil you don't know being preferred to the Devil you do. Now the latest in 1991 when being ruled by local gangsters seemed preferable the gangsters in Moscow.
"All of the former empire suffered under the Soviets, with the exception of Poland, "
HAHAHA. Would love to see you make that statement to my Polish friends. Pretty much demonstrates your separation from reality.
Guess you don't read statistics that the best standards of living were in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbajan and the Baltics? Who's hair splitting? Yes, only 20 million Russians killed under the Communists, nothing major.
Which YOU Ukrainians? Last time I was in Russia there were tons of Ukrainian illegals, something to the tune of over 5 million. The main voices are coming from Polish land stolen and given to Ukraine by the Soviets.
Again, you're all propaganda and ZERO facts. Maybe you heard of the treaty signed by Lenin giving up Poland, Ukraine and the Baltics to the Germans? Say oh, end of 1917? Take a hint at it's name. It was done to pull Russia out of the war with Germany.