Kiev was known as the “City of a Thousand Churches” when Muscovites were living in a swamp.==
DO you know that Kiev Rus was founded by the dwellers of Novgorod? Novgorod is the most ancient town of Russia.
To be more precise, Oleg of Novgorod captured Kiev and moved the capital of Rus from Novgorod to there. Hence, Kievan Rus. Do you know that there's a very plausible theory out there that Kiev was founded by Khazars?