Ruszczyc originally studied law at the University of St. Petersburg, but later switched majors and began taking painting classes at the Imperial Academy of Arts. He was a student of the famous Russian landscape painters Ivan Shishkin and Arkhip Kuindzhi.
The early life of Ruszczyc involved studying law at the University of St. Petersburg, but he soon redirected his focus towards art by taking painting classes at the Imperial Academy of Arts. He was influenced by two prominent Russian landscape artists, Ivan Shishkin and Arkhip Kuindzhi.