I wouldn't say Russia is the sole exception to this owing to the Turkification of Anatolia/modern-day Turkey with how the Rhomaioi of Anatolia ("Byzantine" was never used by the peoples of the ERE), when the Seljuk Turks conquered it in the 11th Century, adopted the ways and language of the Seljuks instead of the Seljuks adopting Greek language and culture as they had Persianized before, but I see your point with your statement.Russia has been a doomed nation since the Mongols. Every time nomads conquer settled peoples, they always meld and change to fit into the cultures they conquer. Except with Russia, where the process happened in reverse. The extractive institutions of the Mongol Empire stayed with Russia forever.