Here's a breakdown:
* Slavic Languages: A branch of the Indo-European language family, encompassing a large group of languages spoken primarily in Eastern and Central Europe.
* East Slavic Languages: One of the three branches of the Slavic family, including Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian.
* Proto-Slavic: The common ancestor of all Slavic languages, spoken in Eastern Europe around the 6th century AD.
So, while Russian is its own distinct language, it shares a common origin with Ukrainian and Belarusian, and ultimately traces its roots back to Proto-Slavic.
Additionally, Russian has been influenced by various other languages throughout its history, including:
* Old Church Slavonic: A liturgical language used by the Eastern Orthodox Church, which influenced Russian vocabulary and grammar.
* Turkic languages: Russian has borrowed many words from Turkic languages, particularly in the areas of military and administration.
* Germanic languages: German, in particular, has had a significant influence on Russian vocabulary, especially in the areas of science and technology.
* French and English: Modern Russian has borrowed words from French and English, especially in the areas of culture and technology.
This complex linguistic history has resulted in the Russian language we know today, a rich and vibrant language with its own unique characteristics and influences.