MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. Russians and Ukrainians are not merely close, they are genetically one people, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Vesti journalist Pavel Zarubin.

"These are a people very close to us," Putin said. "No matter how you look at it, recent genetic studies show that they are one people, Russians and Ukrainians."

At the same time, he expressed respect for the fact that a political division of the broader Russian nation had occurred historically.

"Someone has a different opinion, fine," he admitted. "Alright, we agree, this is how the history of Russia shaped out, and such are the realities of today. But everything is negotiable.".