"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union, and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires. It was the very first time Ukraine actually got real borders, and these borders (revised during WWII) are in use to this day. "The" Ukraine, or Cossackdom, would be this pre-Soviet history.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union, and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires. It was the very first time Ukraine actually got real borders, and these borders (revised during WWII) are in use to this day. "The" Ukraine would be this pre-Soviet history.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union, and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires. It was the very first time Ukraine actually got real borders, and these borders are is in use to this day. "The" Ukraine would be this pre-Soviet history.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union, and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires. It was the very first time Ukraine actually got real borders, and these borders are is in use to this day. "The" Ukraine would be this pre-Soviet history.

Even more so for Belarus.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union, and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires. It was the very first time Ukraine actually got real borders, and these borders are is in use to this day. "The" Ukraine would be this pre-Soviet history.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union, and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires. It was the very first time Ukraine actually got real borders, and these borders are is in use to this day.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union (the border that is in use to this day), and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires. It was the very first time Ukraine actually got real borders.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own and clearly demarcated internal border within the Union (the border that is in use to this day), and not just vague and shifting "the borderland" between various empires.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own internal border within the Union, and not just "the borderland" between various empires.

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Socialist Republic with its own internal border within the Union, and not just "the borderland".

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Republic with its own internal border within the Union, and not just "the borderland".

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Republic with its own internal border within.the Union, and not just "the borderland".

"The ukraine" is pre-Soviet, not Soviet. In the Soviet times it was Ukraine, a separate Soviet Republic with its own internal border withing the Union, and not just "the borderland".