Putin's Map Stunt Denies Ukraine's Existence

Russian President Vladimir Putin cited a 17th-century map of Europe to back his belief that Ukraine isn't a real country, a claim he's used to justify Russia's invasion. However, the document clearly marks part of the territory as being "Ukraine." The map shows the area near Kyiv labeled as "Ukraine" and was made by French cartographer Hubert Jaillot. Putin's thesis has been discredited, and historians have pointed out that Ukraine had a distinct culture and language from Russia in the 17th century.