The Cyrillic alphabet is a writing system used for various languages across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It was developed in the 9th century by the disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who aimed to create a script for the Slavic peoples. The alphabet has undergone several modifications and now consists of 33 letters in its modern Russian form. Today, the Cyrillic alphabet is used in languages such as Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Kazakh. It is known for its distinct characters, some of which resemble those in the Latin alphabet, while others are unique. The alphabet plays a crucial role in the cultural and linguistic identity of the regions where it is used.