“Russian version of the 30-06.”
And kangaroo tastes like chicken.???? No it has nothing to do with the -03 or -06. It predates both by over a decade. It is a robust 7.62x54 rimmed cartridge and the MN action is also robust. Not a thing wrong with it. The single stack mag was all the rage in 1891.
30-06 is a long case .30 caliber as compared to the M1 carbine or the .308 which is short action. 7.62 x 54R is a long case is also .30 caliber. While obviously not the same there are enough similarities. When educating others, it is best to start with something that they know (30-06) and make a comparison.
Thus to frame the conversation to someone who knows the American / British weapons, letting someone know that it is the Russian version of the 30-06 is a valid description. No one ever said that the 30-06 predated the 7.62 x 54R.