Black Ruthenia , Black Rus (, ), or Black Russia – all variant conventional terms – identified a historic region around Navahrudak (Novgorodok), in the western part of contemporary Belarus on the upper reaches of the Neman River. Besides Navahrudak, other important cities of the Black Ruthenian region included Hrodna (Grodno), Slonim, Volkovysk (Vaukavysk) and Niasvizh (Niasviž).