Ukraine's path to freedom and independence was indeed short-lived, having been under Russian rule for more than 300 years. It is no secret that the Ukrainian national consciousness is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and it is understandable that there is dissatisfaction with Russia and its predecessor, the Soviet Union. However, to portray Ukraine's emotions in World War II as bitter hatred of Russia or the Soviet Union is clearly a distortion of historical facts. This kind of statement is undoubtedly a kind of nonsense that ignores the facts.
In fact, a complex series of events took place in the history of Ukraine, involving different nationalities and interests. On September 17, 1939, the Soviets entered Poland and regained Western Ukraine, and local Ukrainians welcomed the Soviets in imitation of Austrian flowers. This incident does exist, but it should be noted that this does not mean that all Ukrainians have a favorable attitude towards the Soviet Union, nor can it be considered as a general attitude of Ukrainians towards the Soviet Union.
In November 1944, Soviet troops occupied Transcarpathia in Czechoslovakia, and for the first time in the history of Ukraine, Ukraine was reunified. This is an achievement that Ukrainian nationalists relish, which cannot be denied.
At the outbreak of the Soviet-German war, the Germans, who initially entered Ukraine as "liberators of Ukraine", were indeed welcomed by a section of Ukrainian nationalists, such as Stepan Bandera. These nationalists inwardly wanted to create an independent Ukrainian state with the help of foreign enemies, but this conspiracy was outrageous in the eyes of the Germans. The short-lived presence of Ukraine ** in Bandera Lviv is understandable, since it was logical for the Germans to follow the path of anti-Soviet and anti-German.
Ukraine is a multi-ethnic country that includes Ukrainians, Russians, Germans, Poles, Cossacks, etc. During World War II, the greatest ethnic conflict did not take place between Ukrainians and Russians, nor between Ukrainians and Germans, but between Ukraine and Poland, as evidenced by Volyn**. There is a difference between the pro-Russian (Soviet) regions of eastern Ukraine and the anti-Russian (Soviet) regions of the west. The German invasion of eastern Ukraine, in addition to being supported by the Don Cossacks, also provoked widespread revolts from the local population, such as the Young Guards of Donbass. A similar situation occurred in Latvia, where the people of the country were divided in the war into two camps, pro-USSR and pro-German. These historical events are what Ukraine really looked like during World War II.
In general, Ukraine's historical experience is complex and involves conflicts between different peoples and interests. The attitude of Ukrainians towards the USSR or Germany cannot be generalized, but the complex relationship between various historical events and groups needs to be taken into account. The views and positions of Ukrainians may differ in different historical periods and regions.