I understand your explanation about politics in that sense that Soviet Union -> Russia during last 40/30 years lost their area of influence and that is why Russia (Putin as someone like Tsar) try to reverse rebuild that sphere. But if we talking about that issue roots are far away in history predating even Soviet Union and communism ideology inside old tsarist Russia. In last 500 years Russia build whole ideology concept of
Russkiy Mir https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_world. Problem is that many part's of today area which Russians consider as their own civilisation in Eastern Europe belongs in that time not to Russia but to
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth which was strange unions of today modern nations Polish, Lithuanians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Latvian, Moldavian, Estonian.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish...n_Commonwealth. Why this country was strange for its times because when in Europe rules absolute Kings. This country by it's citizens was called
Rzeczpospolita (Most Serene Republic). In that country King was elected like president in modern democracies by around 10% of whole population by szlachta (Nobleman). And during his Regin was dependant in his decisions from Sejm (parliament). Many peoples who lived there during this 300 hundred years developed (quite modern for its times) concept of "Złota wolność" Golden Liberty
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Liberty i some way similar to modern democracy modern concept of citizens rights. Because this Republican system country was finally not resistant to political corruption by external powers this country fall divided by the empires Prussia, Austria, Russia in 18th century but before final collapse created constitution very modern for its time which granted citizens rights and freedom
Constitution of 3 May 1791 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consti..._of_3_May_1791. So after that in XIX century the myth of modern democracy defeated by absolutist King, Tsar and Emperor was still living. In XX century Totalitarian states again rules in that area and peoples told stories about Democracy, Freedom and Prosperity in good old times when none heard about such concepts in Western Europe and USA even not existed. So finally this spirit of Old Most Serene Republic is responsible of falling of communism in Eastern Europe and I think that this yearning for freedom and Democracy now is responsible for Ukrainians morale. They simple desire to build normal modern country and don't want belongs to
Russkiy Mir anymore.
Beautifully song about Commonwealth Republic by
Mila Kiriewska in Belorusian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i--bB93hKKE
"Gaude, Mater Polonia" — Anthem of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVV0ofJR6l8
Oi Šermukšnio - Lithuanian song about Husaria most famous soldiers of Commonwealth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSsoAvLzz1s