There is clearly a policy shift underway. We're talking about a bad trend; not just a cooling but a deterioration in relations.
(Motherland's policies) are very, very popular with the Russian people.
Polls show the attitude of Russians toward Ukraine has deteriorated lately. So, people might easily believe that Ukrainians want to do them harm.
He was a big-time political operator, behind many political developments, not least Yeltsin's re-election in 1996.
The goal of Kremlin strategists appears to be a weak coalition government in Ukraine that will be more vulnerable to Russian economic pressure. One twin is looking to Moscow, the other to Washington. And they can't separate.