the+形容词或名词

问题描述:

the+形容词或名词
The British and (the Russians) wanted to build it.
The British是the+形容词表英国人,那the Russians是什么,既然加s了,那肯定是名词,可如果表示俄罗斯人不得用the+名词单数吗?

我只听过the+形容词构成名词,表示一类人!