#but to put an equal sign between russia and rus is to reveal yourself as an incompetent moron

[alcestas-sloboda]

I'm seriously going mental over this Rus' and Russia distinction. The precise reason Peter the Great changed the name from Moscovy to the Russian Empire was to establish a direct connection to the rich history of Kyivan Rus' and assert the claim as the sole true descendant of the Rurik dynasty. His thought process went like this: to build a formidable empire, a strong historical foundation is needed. Moscow's ties to the Mongols were not as significant as the history of the Kyivan state, which prior to the Mongol invasion of 1240 was one of the most advanced in Europe and had numerous representatives in various ruling dynasties. Credit must be given; he succeeded in doing so. Even centuries later, I find myself reading, listening, and observing his actions in effect as Russians and Europeans, blindly following the centuries long lies, erase my country's and my people's history.