When describing the situation in Ukraine, the media almost always reports the dichotomy between the nationalist centre-west and the Russian-speaking southeast. They always seize the significant aspects of a multi-faceted, identity-based image. In a multi-ethnic state like Ukraine, the concept of minorities assumes various meanings. In an attempt to sketch a brief outline, it is, first of all, necessary to unravel the Gordian knot of the Russian role in Ukrainian events.