The Russification of Ukraine (Ukrainian: русифікація України or зросійщення України; Russian: русификация Украины) was a system of measures, actions and legislations undertaken by the Imperial Russian, later Soviet, and present-day authorities of the Russian Federation to strengthen Russian national, political and linguistic positions in Ukraine.

In 1648, Ruthenian commander Bohdan Khmelnytsky began an armed insurgency against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, known as the Khmelnytsky Uprising. This uprising was successful at ending Polish rule in the Zaporizhzhia Lands, and the local Cossack population established the Cossack Hetmanate.

By 1654, the Cossack Hetmanate controlled land encompassing much of present-day Ukraine. To increase pressure on Polish forces, the Cossacks conducted negotiations with the Tsardom of Russia to gain their support. This culminated in the signing of the Pereiaslav Agreement, where Cossack leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky secured Russian military support in exchange for swearing allegiance to the Tsar of Russia.

This agreement angered the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and led to the Russo-Polish War. The resulting Truce of Andrusovo in 1667 defined the territories of each state, where Russia gained control over Left-bank Ukraine, including the entire city of Kiev, and Poland-Lithuania would keep their control of Right-bank Ukraine. This began Russia's presence in Ukraine, which contributed greatly to the process of Russification.

In the opinion of scientist Vladimir Vernadsky (1863–1945), by the 17th century, Muscovy already had a long-standing policy to absorb Ukraine and liquidate the foundation for local cultural life.

In order to modernize his state, Peter I, the first Emperor of Russia, hired a number of Ukrainian intellectuals, who conceived the idea of political continuity from Kyiv to Moscow and developed the concept of "Little Russia" (Ukraine) as opposed to "Greater Russia" (Muscovy) as parts of a common state project. As a result, the Russian Empire could be considered to be a brainchild of Ukrainians, who underlined their symbolical status as co-founders and co-owners of the empire. However, with time "Little Russia" was downgraded to the status of a mere province, and its elites had to suffice themselves with the status of regional administrators. This process culminated in the abolition of the autonomy of the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764 and was accompanied with both Russification of the local elite, as well as mass resettlement of ethnic Russians into Ukrianian lands.

In 1720 Tsar Peter I of Russia issued a decree in which he ordered the expurgation of all Little Russian (Ukrainian) linguistic elements in theological literature printed in Little Russian typographical establishments.

Among those who helped Catherine II ascend to the Russian throne through a coup was Kirill Razumovsky, the president of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Hetman of the autonomous Cossack state, the Hetmanate. The Hetman's plans for Cossack Ukraine were extensive and included strengthening its autonomy and institutions; many in the Hetmanate were hopeful for Catherine's rule, but would soon realise her policy towards them.