Russia — originally historical name of the earths of east Slavs. For the first time 911 years are used as the state name in the text of the Russian-Byzantian contract, earlier certificates deal этнонимом русь (that is русь as the people name). According to the annalistic legend «to Move time years» (created in XI — the beginning XII centuries) the name has occurred from Varangians of a tribe русь, called by the Novgorod Slavs in 862 year as a military team. In a historiography the question on existence on the earths of east Slavs of earlier state which have received the conditional name Russian каганат is discussed, however the lack of certificates is carried by Russian каганат to area of historical hypotheses.
