Someone told me that Russia was once Europe's finest. Does that mean that Russia was under European rule in the past? Most of Russia is from Asia geographically so why is the culture of Russia more of European roots. Is it because most of the population is from the western part of Russia ?

Well the capital is on European ground, so it's logical that Russia will be European-oriented. Also, there's Sankt Petersburg which also has great importance and it's in Europe too.

Europe was and still is the finest. Especially in the 18th and 19th century when Russia started to look up to France, Italy, England and Germany who were countries full of culture and innovations.

As a country Russia started from Europe. All the Russian capitals - Kiev, Novgorod, St. Petersburg, Moscow - are in European part of Russia. So the government was always promoting more European lifestyle across the whole country, rather than Asian.

Russia isn't "from" Europe or Asia. The russian federation is partly IN Europe and partly IN Asia.

There never has been such a thing as "under european rule", because "Europe" has never been a country/nation/empire

Russia is one of two countries that's in both continents, the other is Turkey.

All I can say is that some Finnish people look very Mongoloid, as do those from Russia-controlled Tatarstan.

Russians are sometimes called "vanilla Asians," but that is considered a slur by some.

As an Asian myself I can definitely understand why some, who don't have to be considered Asian... don't want to be. It ain't a party.