[Reily]

But historically Russia has always been the “protector” of the Slavs and their fellow orthodox.

[Verginius Rufus]

Russia poses as protector of the orthodox Slavs when it suits her own interests.

Of the Balkan Slavs, the Serbs, Bulgarians, Macedonians, and Montenegrins are Orthodox, while the Croats and Slovenes are Catholic. The Western Slavs are historically Catholic or Protestant (Poles, Slovaks, Czechs, Sorbs). I don't think the Poles think of Russia as a protector and the Czechs and Slovaks don't have fond memories of 1968.