Ukraine and Russia:A Shared History and Bond

         Although currently embroiled in a brutal war the Ukraineans and their neighboors the Russians both share largely a common history and are largely decended from the common ancestors groups.  The first Russians or Sythians were a nomadic horseback bound people who roamed Russia and the Ukrainean region during Roman and Greek days. The Sythians may have inspired some of the myths of the Amazons due to the fact some of their women rode horses and were warriors. In Greek days Mithradates VI of Pontus threatened the Roman Empire. His Kingdom of Pontus  was a Black Sea Empire  which included the Ukraine. Rome defeated the Poison King but. his legend persists. tLater in the Late Roman Empire early Slavs came to the region.  Then during the 6th-8th centuries the First Ukrainean State  the Kazar Empire arose. With their empire centered at Illit in Eastern Ukraine the Kazar Empire was impressed. It impressed merchants in Spain who wrote of them. The word Kazar is stilll an slang for giant in Modern Russian and Eastern European languages.  Although a Turkic and possibly Tartar people and originally polytheist the Kazars converted to Judaism in the Mid-6th century. Three rabbis traveled to Illit in Kazar lands from Israel.  The king after debating with them settled Judaism was best for himself and his kingdom and converted. He had previously rejected Christians of various forms and Moslems and the conversion of this king,King Bulan. surprised most regional powers. Illit, Bulan's capital was described as "the fabled Sambatyon capital, of a faboulous kingdom a fortress city on a river in a faboulous kingdom of Bulun."In the 8th century Varinian Rus needing a Third Rome after serving the emperors of Byzantium too long founded the city-state of Kiev. Early Kiev would become a regional player the Russian State and the Kievan Rus would grow from Kiev to establish other city-states like Novgorod or Vladmir all ruled by a Grand Prince or Grand Ducal ruler. This period ended with the Mongol Conquest of the 13th Century. Around that time on the outskirts of Rus territory Moscow was founded. This would be the most important city for Russia and the Ukraine combined until 1991.  Although both opponents both nationns share a common history and beginning. Itt is up to both to face that.