 Dmitry Ilovaisky, for instance, speculated that Photius had referred to the Christianization of the so-called Tmutarakan (or Pontic) Rus', while the Novgorod (or Northern) Rus' remained pagan for another century.Most Soviet historians (Boris Grekov, Vladimir Pashuto, Rybakov) agree that Christianity was adopted in the 9th century only by the Varangian elite of the Rus' Khaganate.That the fact of the first Christianization was obliterated so rapidly is explained by the 882 "coup d'état" that led to the downfall of the supposedly Christian Askold and the usurpation of power by the pagan Oleg.