Putin's take on the history and politics of Ukraine (2021) (prlib.ru)

Very long text that outlines the history of Ukraine and Russia, then turns to the point of forming a tight bond between the two countries.

However, the ending paragraph is very much at odds with the current invasion as it reads:

"And what Ukraine will be – it is up to its citizens to decide."

But it is nonetheless a good look into how Putin sees and justifies the invasion.

For Ukrainians and the West, the idea that Ukraine should be removed from the map is simply unacceptable.