People from Russia or of Russian ethnicity; members of the East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe.
From Medieval Latin Russus, possibly from Old Norse Rus referring to Viking traders who established routes through Eastern Europe. The name evolved through various forms before settling on the modern usage in the 18th century.
The term 'Russian' originally described the Rus people - likely Scandinavian traders and warriors who founded the first East Slavic states. This means 'Russian' etymologically connects to Viking heritage, despite the modern association with Slavic culture and Orthodox Christianity.
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