Is There a Difference Between Ukrainians and Russian Ukrainians?

In the 1600s and 1700s, people in the Russian Empire began to emphasize that the reason why they should bring in these new lands is because the people who lived there were really part of the Russian people. This Ukrainian sort of national identity didn't go away and in fact over time it became stronger. In general, we can say that on the part of Ukrainians there has been a desire to have autonomy or independence.