[Verginius Rufus]

I think "Balkans" is a mistake for "Baltics"--the Balkan countries were never part of the Russian Empire or of the Soviet Union.

This guy should have been an American politician, where it is OK to lie about being sent to Cambodia or being shot at in Sarajevo.

[Reily]

But historically Russia has always been the “protector” of the Slavs and their fellow orthodox.