One of the most important problems that exist in Russian historical science and philosophy, starting with the grandiose, but extremely contradictory Peter's transformations, is the problem of the crisis of identity, the search for a way of their own development, we can say, the struggle between Westernism and identity. The result of such a search is always an increasing interest in the native history, its origins. This interest arose in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is also relevant for modern Russian society. The main questions that are asked here are: have we been backward and dependent on other countries throughout history, what are the origins and nature of state power in our country, what is the special "Russian character". It should be emphasized that unambiguous answers to the above questions were not received in the 18th, 19th, or even 20th and 21st centuries. This is due both to their political nature and general ideological orientation, as well as to the contradictory source data that allow for different interpretations of the events of 862, which are traditionally considered the beginning of the history of Russia. We are talking about the problem of the vocation of the Varangian (the so-called "Varangian question" in historical science) and its understanding in Russian science. The "Varangian question" in Russian history is a special question. Its objective complexity lies in the complexity and inconsistency of the source base, which includes different-time data on the Varangian and Russ contained in Byzantine, Arab, Western European and, of course, Russian sources, which denote different peoples and social groups by the terms "Varangian" and "Rus", which cannot but cause difficulty in determining the reliable interpretation of the source data. However, an even greater complexity of this issue lies in the confrontation between the two trends that have developed in historical science, Normanism and antinormanism, which does not allow historians who adhere to one or another version to objectively, without bias, consider and evaluate historical data. The solution of the Varangian question is also subjectively connected with the general worldview ideas of historians about the way of development of Russia, its specifics in comparison with the states of the West and the East. This issue is very difficult to solve. Nevertheless, the choice of Russia's development path depends on its decision.
One of the most important problems that exist in Russian historical science and philosophy, starting with the grandiose, but extremely contradictory Peter's transformations, is the problem of the crisis of identity, the search for a way of their own development, we can say, the struggle between Westernism and identity. The result of such a search is always an increasing interest in the native history, its origins. This interest arose in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is also relevant for modern Russian society. The main questions that are asked here are: have we been backward and dependent on other countries throughout history, what are the origins and nature of state power in our country, what is the special "Russian character". It should be emphasized that unambiguous answers to the above questions were not received in the 18th, 19th, or even 20th and 21st centuries. This is due both to their political nature and general ideological orientation, as well as to the contradictory source data that allow for different interpretations of the events of 862, which are traditionally considered the beginning of the history of Russia. We are talking about the problem of the vocation of the Varangian (the so-called "Varangian question" in historical science) and its understanding in Russian science. The "Varangian question" in Russian history is a special question. Its objective complexity lies in the complexity and inconsistency of the source base, which includes different-time data on the Varangian and Russ contained in Byzantine, Arab, Western European and, of course, Russian sources, which denote different peoples and social groups by the terms "Varangian" and "Rus", which cannot but cause difficulty in determining the reliable interpretation of the source data. However, an even greater complexity of this issue lies in the confrontation between the two trends that have developed in historical science, Normanism and antinormanism, which does not allow historians who adhere to one or another version to objectively, without bias, consider and evaluate historical data. The solution of the Varangian question is also subjectively connected with the general worldview ideas of historians about the way of development of Russia, its specifics in comparison with the states of the West and the East. This issue is very difficult to solve. Nevertheless, the choice of Russia's development path depends on its decision.