In surveys, most Ukrainians identify as Ukrainian, even if they are Russian speaking, even if they are ethnic Russians. Many ethnic Russians in Ukraine identify as biethnic. Many native Russian speakers identify as bilingual.
These patterns even persist in Eastern and Southern Ukraine.
Often people will speak Russian at home, but Ukrainian in public. Or will switch with ease between the two in conversation. Russian language is a major presence in pop culture and music.
Ukraine has a complicated language history. Ukrainian language and culture was suppressed under the Soviet Union. Stalin tried to eradicate Ukrainian identity. With independence came an effort to revive the Ukrainian language and cultural identity. Ukrainian language began to be taught in schools. In 2019 it finally was formalized as the only official state language.
Both former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and current President Volodymyr Zelensky are native Russian-speakers who garnered a lot of support from predominately Ukrainian-speaking regions of Ukraine.
It has been a constant effort by Russia and pro-Russian politicians to portray Russian speakers and ethnic Russians in Ukraine as persecuted minorities to sow social and political tension. But the reality is more complicated and nuanced than that.
Ukrainians didn't want or need to be saved.