[drran]

Ukraine means «fortified area»: укріплення (fortifications) + край (area) = україна (ookruhїnuh, Ukraine). It's a number of fortification lines built to protect Europe from eastern nomads. Russian are replacing Oo by Oh at the beginning to make «Outskirt» (of Moscow) in Russian language. Don't spread falsified version, please.

One of the French engineers, who built fortification lines, Guillaume de Beauplan[0], created the first map (1639) and wrote a book about Ukraine.

It was correct to refer to these fortifications as «The Ukraine» before Ukraine received independence from the Russian Empire, but no longer.

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume_Le_Vasseur_de_Beaupl...