Slavs

Slavs, largest European ethnic group, living today in central and eastern Europe and Siberia, all speaking Slavic languages.

About 4,000 years ago they migrated to land north of the Black Sea and later split into 3 groups: the East Slavs (Byelorussians, Russians, and Ukrainians), the West Slavs (Czechs, Poles, Slovaks, and Sorbs (Wends), and the South Slavs (Bulgarians, Macedonians, Serbs, Croats, and Slovens). By the 9th century Slavic nations were formed, but almost all were overwhelmed by Turkish or Mongol invaders. In the 15th century Russia gained national independence, but other Slavic nations did not regain their national identities until World War I.