[WayneS]

Their names are too Russian.

Boris Badenov is a play on the name Boris Godunov, who held power in Russia following the death of Ivan IV (Terrible). Godunov first served as regent for the feeble-minded Feodor I, and then as the first non-Rurikid Tsar of Russia.

Feuding between his and other Boyar families regarding the line of succession to the throne led to an interregnum known as “The Time of Troubles” and to the subsequent establishment of the Romanaov dynasty.

[Martin Tell]

Sorry, Wayne, did not see your earlier reply (note to self: read all of thread before replying).

While I see your point about Pottsylvania being a stand-in for Soviet Russia, the map of Pottsylvania does not look anything like Russia.And it's too small.

To confuse matters even further, Fearless Leader has a German accent!

Most likely, Pottsylvania is just a generic small, nasty, East European Russian satellite. Maybe Boris and Natasha have been seconded to Pottsylvania by the KGB.

[drjimmy]

Yeah, I know it's Wikipedia, but I assume they are correct about the German references in the show: "Pottsylvania is a parody of a Cold War-era eastern European country (possibly intended as a satire on East Germany: Pottsylvanian characters often use German words, and the Iron Cross can be seen on military aircraft).

But I will grant that Boris and Natasha were probably Russian, like lots of agents in East Germany probably were at the time.