Ruteni

Ruteni is a term that can refer to several entities, primarily a historical Slavic people and a modern administrative division in Ukraine. Historically, the Ruthenians were a group of East Slavic tribes who inhabited the territories of modern-day Western Ukraine, parts of Eastern Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. They were closely related to other East Slavic groups, including the ancestors of modern Russians and Belarusians. The term "Ruthenian" was commonly used in Western European sources from the Middle Ages onwards to refer to these East Slavic populations.

Over time, the political and social landscape of the region led to the differentiation of these groups. In the context of modern Ukraine, the term Ruthenia, or Zakarpattia, refers to a specific oblast, or province, in the southwestern part of the country. This region has a distinct history, having been part of various empires and states, including the Kingdom of Hungary, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Czechoslovakia, before eventually becoming part of Soviet Ukraine and subsequently independent Ukraine. The population of this region, while predominantly Ukrainian, also has historical connections to other ethnic groups and cultural influences due to its complex past. The term Ruthenian can sometimes be used to refer to the inhabitants of this specific Ukrainian region, though often the term Ukrainian is preferred.