The Balto-Slavic languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family that includes two main groups: the Baltic languages and the Slavic languages. The Baltic languages consist of Lithuanian and Latvian, while the Slavic languages include Russian, Polish, Czech, and many others. These languages share common linguistic features and historical roots. The Balto-Slavic languages are believed to have diverged from a common ancestor around 2,500 years ago. They are primarily spoken in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region. Linguists study these languages to understand their development and the cultural connections between the peoples who speak them.