At its core, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Passenger and No Russian have the same narrative purpose, with Makarov trying to use the attack to incite a war.
The events of "No Russian" played a major role in starting World War III. It also appeared in a flashback during Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 when the player-character named Yuri tried to stop Makarov. This mission can be skipped due to its disturbing content.