I seem to remember the Rus were a number of competing principalities based on cities that frequently waged war on each other.
As I remember some of the Rus princes withheld aid so the Mongols would destroy their rivals. In then end they were all destroyed
I see depressing similarities to political life in the US currently.
“As I remember some of the Rus princes withheld aid so the Mongols would destroy their rivals. In then end they were all destroyed”
Kind of like conservatives preventing RINOs from winning November elections, so that the Democrats would destroy the RINOs. In the end, we got One Party Rule - but not our party.