Also the area between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea consisting of parts of Ukraine, Georgia and Kazakhstan is the homeland of the Khazars. During Roman times this area produced the Sarmatians. The Cossacks are also associated with this area. These are the Russian Steppes. The Volga, the Don, the Dneiper are all Russian rivers and always have been. The Vikings used a back route through Murmansk and Moscow, and these rivers, to reach Constantinople.