Well, from my perspective and I have said this many time,
@vostok might recall, that Russia is European. Having met some Russians in real life they appeared to be closer to English then say Italians or Spanish. A Russian, Englishman, German, Dane are almost indistinguishable from every aspect. Cultural, genetically, historically and as a civilization.
However let there be no question about the fact that vast regions of Russia are conquered and vanguished Asiatic peoples. Be they Muslim Dagestani, Muslim Tatars, Muslim Chechens or the native peoples of Siberia. You can't sling this thing both ways. Say Russia is Europe but then shout out about Grozny or Vladisvostok as Putin did and claim they are also Europe. No they are not and only to the extent that they are beaten, conquered Asiatic lands and peoples. All of Caucasus historically was never Europe. Only after Russian conquest was it brought under Moscows orbit and even then we saw what happened in late 1990s in Chechnia.
I find it bizzare that many East Europeans look aghast at migrants from Asia in Western Europe and cry "end of Western Civilization" but ignore the masssive regions of Asia extending across Siberia, to Caucasus to Central Asia that were invaded and natives genocided with massive European migrants colonizing the lands. Or being forcefully face cuyltural or religious genocide.
With shrinking population and a economy heavily dependant on oil and gas Russia's future is either as backyard of Europe or a Chinese vassal state providing tall women to rich Chinese men.
