At true size, Russia is about 1.7× the size of Europe. On the old 1569 Mercator map the same two appear about 10× apart — the old map exaggerates their difference by a factor of 6.1×.
It is a latitude illusion: Russia sits near 66°, where Mercator multiplies area by about 6.1×, while Europe lies near 10°, inflated only about 1×. Equal Earth removes that latitude tax, and the pair settles at its honest 1.7×.