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Русский (in Russian) is an ethnical characteristic. So if you have a "Russian" boyfriend, but he is a Jew really, you can't say he is a Russian (only maybe as an Israeli slang, and all). You should use the word "русскоязычный", which means a person who speaks Russian very well or a native speaker.
Well, not only that, but he's a Belarusian one. But, yes, he is native to the Russian language and of Jewish origins. You're right this term has been terribly mutilated. We just call Russian speakers of former Soviet countries Russians, here. It just makes things easier. If I call my BF Russian-speaker, it wouldn't let known the fact that he is of Soviet origins. If I call him former-Soviet, that'll be too awkward. Russian may not be accurate, but it's the best option that everyone in Israel kinda got used to and use all the time, even for former-soviets not from Russia. Of course, like you, the Russian-speakers tend to correct them if they're not actually from Russia :)