Slavs

This is an e-mail I shared in 2009. I am no expert and was basically attempting to share what I read.  The information may not be exactly right and could be insensitive to Russians and Ukrainians today considering the state of things. 

Before, I mentioned that missionaries went to the Slav nations during pre-Russian times. Actually, it was at a time that was known as Kiev Rus (Russia). Kiev, Ukraine was once the capital of what we know as Russia today. and, a "replica" of the Byzatine Eastern Orthodix church was built in Kiev and it was there that the alphabet, literature and the empire started growing. in Byzantine (modern Turkey), many years later, Ottaman turks overran the city and Islam gained a foothold that exists to this day. this explains why ancient churches are still in Istanbul. as for Kiev, well, the city of Novgorad, Russia competed with it for power. at some point, the Mongols (Genghis, Khan) sacked these cites and they stopped growing. It was then that Moscow came about. It was not until Ivan the terrible that the Mongols were defeated and their centuries long reign over Russia disappeared. this was 500 years ago. oh, Jeff, the Ukranians and Russians of today are of the same ethic group, the Slavs, and, based on what I've read, have a shared history going back 1200 years.