Ukrainian culture and customs of Ukraine and ethnic Ukrainians contain a blend of Eastern European and Western European  elements. Ukraine has a shared culture and history with neighboring nations, dating back to the 9th century and the Land of Rus. Mutual customs are shared among the cultures of Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Ukrainian Cossacks and Turkic peoples of Central Asia. Ukrainian customs are heavily influenced by the Eastern Orthodox Church and traditions from Slavic mythology. The Soviet era unified the cultures of many unrelated nations with a common language.