Ethnic Russians and Russian nationals

I was curious, since I read that there is a difference between "ethnic Russians" and Russian nationals.

In practical terms, what are the real differences?

Are the "ethnic Russians" only Europeans? Whereas are the "ethnic Russians" somehow more Russian than the others?
Or are the non-ethnic Russians as "Russian" as the ethnic ones?

I am asking because I am studying more about Russian culture, but all the famous people (poets, composers, writers, etc.) and traditions seem to come mainly from European Russia or ethnic Russians.

Are there famous non-ethnic Russians in Russian history and culture?

http://russiatoday.strana.ru/en/profile/people/nat/

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Are there famous non-ethnic Russians in Russian history and culture?

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Stalin (Georgian), Khrushchev, Brezhnev (Ukrainians), Dzerzhinsky (Pole), Pushkin (great-grandson of black African), Trotsky (Jew) and many, many others.

I think this is interesting.

The Soviet Union was easily the most "international" country on Earth. That always fascinated me, and pre-1990 the image presented was always that there was complete harmony among the Soviet people (not sure how true this was or wasn't...)

And Russia today is not far behind in diversity... No European country comes close..

(Of course, there is a backside to it.. ethnic conflicts etc.)

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Originally Posted by Johanna

(Of course, there is a backside to it.. ethnic conflicts etc.)

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I think you mean "downside", a "backside" is something entirely different. :wink: