Ancient Rus', Ukraine, Russia... The close intertwining of these concepts in the minds of many generations of our compatriots to this day creates fertile ground for the existence of the ideological myth of a single country and a single people, supposedly emerging from the depths of the medieval Kiev state. Presenting extensive historical information in a publicly accessible, friendly manner, the author returns readers to such simple and seemingly obvious truths as the origin and location of Russia, the language and ethnic composition of its population and ruling dynasty; Using the example of the destinies of the King of Rus' Danila Galitsky and the Great Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal Alexander Nevsky, he proposes to jointly reflect on the causes and origins of the various historical paths of the Ukrainian and Russian peoples. The book is addressed to everyone who is not indifferent to the historical past of Ukraine.