Ukraine: The Ruthenians and the Russian Resurgence

STRATFOR sources in Moscow have reported of plans by the Ruthenians, an ethnic group located primarily in western Ukraine, to declare independence from Ukraine. The reports maintain that the Ruthenians are not acting alone, but have been receiving organizational backing and financial support from Russia. It is no secret that Russia has been working to increase and consolidate its influence in Ukraine. The Ruthenians occupy such a strategic location that their secession could effectively scuttle any chance for an already-fractured Ukraine to maintain political unity — letting the country slide further into the Kremlin's grip.