Ukrainians (Ukrainian: українці, romanized: ukraintsi, pronounced [ʊkrɐˈjinʲts⁽ʲ⁾i])[46] are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian. The majority of Ukrainians are Eastern Orthodox Christians, some Ukrainians are also Catholic Christians.
While under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Austrian Empire, and then Austria-Hungary, the East Slavic population who lived in the territories of modern-day Ukraine were historically known as Ruthenians,[47][48][49] referring to the territory of Ruthenia; the Ukrainians living under the Russian Empire were known as Little Russians, named after the territory of Little Russia. The ethnonym Ukrainian, a term associated with the Cossack Hetmanate, was adopted following the Ukrainian national revival. Cossack heritage is frequently emphasized, for example in the Ukrainian national anthem.
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