Is Russia in Europe or Asia?

Russia may technically be called a Eurasian country, but all indicators state otherwise. It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that Russia is a European country with much of its territory in Asia.

Here’s why:

1. Russia comprises about 40% of the total landmass of Europe.
2. 78% of Russia’s population lives in the European Russia.
3. Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation, is the second-most populous city in Europe (after Istanbul).
4. The Revolt against the Mongols started from the state/principality of Muscovy, whose capital was  Moscow.
5. Russians are predominantly East Slavs, and all scholars and historians accept the East Slavs as ethnically Europeans.
6. Russians are largely Orthodox Christians, a legacy of the Byzantine Empire.
7. The Russian language is written in the Cyrillic script, which is an evolved/derived form of an ancient Greek script. Most of the “sounds ” in spoken Russian relate closely with other East European languages. The Cyrillic script and its first documented usage is credited to the First Bulgarian Empire (10th Century AD).
8. Russian cuisine and eating customs are closely aligned with European traditions, and the Franco-Russian Cuisine is a testimony to the similarity in eating habits of the Russians and other Europeans.

We look forward to your comments and counter arguments.

Ref: Map of Russia