The first russian civilization was influenced and developed by the

Kievan Rus'

The Kievan Rus' is considered the cultural ancestor of modern-day Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.  It was a loose federation of Slavic tribes in eastern Europe during the 9th-13th centuries, at its height of strength in the early part of the 11th century.  At its height, Kievan Rus' territory stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.