• Military
• WMD

• Intelligence Menu               

• Systems
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Imagery
• Links

• Homeland Security
• Space

Cossacks - 2022 Special Military Operation

More than 18,000 Cossacks in 15 Cossack volunteer detachments were taking part in a special military operation, which is 2,000 more than in January 2023. At the same time, 700 Cossacks had already been presented for state awards, according to an appeal to the participants of the conference "Facing the Cossacks" of the ataman of the All-Russian Cossack Society (VsKO) Nikolai Doluda 15 May 2023. According to him, the Cossack volunteer detachments formed the Kuban, Orenburg, Volga, Terek, Central, Black Sea military Cossack societies and the Great Don Army. They also create training centers for the combat coordination of volunteers.

The head of the Synodal Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church for Interaction with the Cossacks, Metropolitan of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk Kirill, who repeatedly visited the NVO zone, noted that the motivation in the Cossack volunteer detachments is the highest, while the age of the Cossack volunteers, according to him, is usually over 45, over 60 and for 65 years. The bishop expressed the hope that the Cossacks, returning home after the special operation, would be able to pass on their experience to the young and become mentors in the Cossack cadet corps.

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation. The Kyiv regime, with the support of the Western “empire of lies,” created a huge danger for Russia, Russia was left with no choice, and it is impossible to protect itself from the actions of the nationalist junta in any other way than a military operation, the president said. The purpose of the operation is to protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years, Putin said. "We will strive for the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine," the president said.

Against the background of the large-scale approach to the formation of volunteer battalions in July 2022, the initiators of the creation of which are local branches of DOSAAF, veteran organizations "Combat Brotherhood" and the authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the activities of Cossack structures, generously funded from the federal and local budgets for many years of peacetime, remained at the same level.

Except for the 6th Regiment of the Army of the Lugansk People's Republic and the Don Detachment, there is virtually no information about their participation in the special military operation. The leadership of the Russian Cossacks should have been more attentive to the quite fair reproaches that sound from civil society, which expects more active participation of the Cossacks in a special military operation to protect the Donbass.

The atamans of the Cossack societies confirmed their readiness to ensure the selection and send to the Combat Army Reserve of the Country (BARS) at least 50 percent of the Cossacks who are registered with the military and meet the criteria for being in the mobilization human reserve. On 17 February 2022, at the headquarters of the Southern Military District, a meeting was held between the Commander of the Southern Military District, General of the Army Alexander Dvornikov, and the chieftains of the Great Don Host, the Kuban Military Cossack Society, the Terek Cossack Host and the Black Sea Cossack Host. The meeting resulted in the signing by chieftains of four Cossack societies of an agreement on the procedure for attracting members of societies as candidates for the mobilization manpower reserve of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The agreement provides for an obligation to assist the command of the military district in the implementation of measures to recruit members of the Cossack society that meet the requirements of the mobilization manpower reserve of the RF Armed Forces established by federal laws for the duration of the contract on staying in the reserve.

The All-Russian Ataman Nikolai Doluda was the first to sign a contract on staying in the mobile reserve on February 7. The documents were signed by him together with the head of the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Yevgeny Burdinsky in the building of the General Staff of the Russian Defense Ministry. Following the example of Doluda, many other atamans joined the mobile reserve. Under the terms of the contract, the Cossacks included in the human reserve, as reservists, will combine their work "in civilian life" with military field training and training sessions. If necessary, BARS fighters will be involved in other activities of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Article 5 of the Law "On the Public Service of the Russian Cossacks" has not a word about the participation in the hostilities of the Cossacks, especially on the territory of a foreign state. Nevertheless, the Cossacks were fighting in Ukraine. First of all, the Cossacks of the All-Great Don Army, since the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, or rather, part of them, were part of this oldest army. They have been fighting since 2014 and fighting valiantly.

By the endof April 2022 almost one and a half thousand registered Cossacks were participating in hostilities, maintaining order and guarding life support facilities in the liberated cities and towns of Donbass. A detachment of Orenburg Cossacks was advancing there. Two Don battalions, "Don" and "Tavrida", were undergoing combat coordination. A regiment of Kuban Cossacks was being formed. Why is this happening now and not a month ago? Because Russia's military and political leadership did not count on either the stubborn resistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the national battalions, or on the supply by the West of significant amounts of modern weapons and heavy equipment manufactured in the Soviet era, but quite combat-ready.

Volunteer Cossack detachment "Don" named after Archangel Michael, which included representatives of the Union of Cossack Warriors of Russia and Abroad (SKVRiZ), took part in a special operation to protect the republics of Donbass. The Cossack detachment of volunteers was formed under the leadership of the Supreme Ataman of the SKVRiZ Nikolai Dyakonov. The detachment united several hundred volunteer Cossacks from all over Russia. Cossack battalions were actively involved in countering the sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and establishing final control over the settlements of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

The All-Russian Cossack Society performs one of the strategic tasks of forming a mobilization manpower reserve of the Russian Armed Forces. Cossacks also provide assistance at humanitarian aid unloading points. More than 500 Cossack volunteers conduct this activity daily. The Volunteer Cossack detachment "Don" named after Archangel Michael, which included representatives of the Union of Cossack Warriors of Russia and Abroad (SKVRiZ), is taking part in a special operation to protect the republics of Donbass.

REGNUM reported 07 April 2022 that about 1,400 Cossacks of the All-Russian Cossack Army were taking part in Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. Cossack units participating in a special operation to protect the republics of Donbass will receive reinforcements. The second Cossack battalion from Russia is sent to the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. This was reported to IA REGNUM in the All-Russian Cossack Society on April 5. About 1,400 Cossacks of the All-Russian Cossack Army were taking part in the fighting in the Donbass. Cossacks serve in various units and divisions and carry out all types of military service. In the coming days, the All-Russian Cossack Society will form another, third, Cossack battalion. Its ranks will be replenished by Cossacks living in historical territories.

On April 21, the Cossacks of the SKVRiZ RO in the Lipetsk region took part in the delivery of humanitarian cargo for the LPR and DPR from Dankov to the assembly point in Lipetsk. Help was collected by caring residents of the Dankovsky district of the Lipetsk region, including Cossack families. The Cossacks of the village "Dankovskaya" and personally Ataman RO SKVRiZ in the Lipetsk region Sergey Gordeev, who delivered one of the trucks with a load, took part in loading and sending the convoy from Dankov. At the assembly point in Lipetsk, the Cossacks of the Nikolskaya and Verkhnedonskaya villages met the column and helped unload it. Soon the cargo from Lipetsk will go directly to the liberated Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics. Ataman expresses his gratitude to the Cossacks of the village "Dankovskaya" who took part in the loading and unloading,

Volunteer Cossacks of the Orenburg Cossack Army, who defended Donbass, were given medicines, food, and warm clothes. The gathering was organized by their mothers and wives, sisters and fighting girlfriends. Humanitarian aid was transferred to the Chelyabinsk regional branch of the all-Russian public organization "Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia". The head of the committee, Irina Smirnova , noted that the Cossacks were especially touched by children's letters and drawings.

“It is symbolic that the Cossacks received news from their native land on the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. They are fighting for children, for a peaceful life. Children's empathy, like nothing else, can lift the spirit of a soldier, ” she is sure. Humanitarian cargo for the sponsored unit was delivered to the Donbass by the forces of the Orenburg Cossacks. M Magnitogorsk Cossack accordionist Anton Maslennikov , who accompanied the gumconvoy, together with the fighters sang the songs “When we were at war”, “Lubo, brothers, lubo”, “Cossacks in Berlin”, “Do Russians want wars”, “Spring will not come for me ".

During the special Russian military operation in Ukraine, on 22 April 2022 a Kuban Cossack shot down an enemy drone with a machine gun. A serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces, a native of the Krasnodar Territory, shot down an APU drone with accurate machine gun fire. As a result, the enemy lost the ability to correct artillery fire. The actions of the Cossack of the Caucasian department of the military Kuban society saved the lives of comrades.

REGNUM reported 25 April 2022 that in the near future the number of Cossacks participating in the special operation in Ukraine will increase to 5.5 thousand people. Three more Cossack detachments will go to the Donbass. Together with the military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, about 4 thousand Cossacks from all Cossack societies and organizations in Russia take part in a special operation in Ukraine. This was reported to IA REGNUM 21 April 2022 by the press service of the All-Russian Cossack Society.

For the past month, two Cossack regiments and several battalions have been in the area of the special military operation in Ukraine. These are the Cossacks of the regiment named after ataman Platov, the Kuban battalion named after ataman Chepega and the 1st Crimean. The Cossacks of the "Don" and "Tavrida" units went to the battlefield.

Volunteers of the Cossack detachment "Kuban" joined the ranks of the participants in the special military operation of Russia in Ukraine 04 May 2022. Before leaving, the ataman of the All-Russian Cossack Society Nikolai Doluda addressed the fighters with a parting word . “Defending the Motherland is the historical mission of the Cossack. In the Donbass, Russian soldiers not only liberate the inhabitants of Lugansk and Donetsk from the Nazis, but also protect their native history and freedom, the independence of the country, for which our fathers and grandfathers paid a high price during the Great Patriotic War. Today, the Cossacks, like all soldiers of the Russian army, continue the military work of their ancestors with dignity. And as at all times, Russia will win!” - said the Cossack general.

Cossacks of the Terek Cossack Army will take part in the Victory Parade on Red Square for the first time. Together with them, the Cossacks of the Kuban Cossack Army will march on May 9. This was reported to IA REGNUM by the press service of the All-Russian Cossack Society. The Cossacks will march in memory of the Cossacks - heroes of the Great Patriotic War, as well as in honor of compatriots participating in Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

Another batch of humanitarian aid has been delivered to Donbass. The necessary medicines and devices of Ilizarov were brought to Donetsk by the Terek Cossacks. This was reported to a REGNUM correspondent by the press service of the All-Russian Cossack Society on 12 May 2022. For fighters and civilians, the Cossacks brought medicines, to the republican trauma center of the Ministry of Health of the DPR - the equipment necessary for the treatment of complex fractures, Ilizarov devices. The organization of the collection of medicines and medical devices was taken up by representatives of the Terek Society of Lovers of Cossack Antiquities fund. Cossacks found Ilizarov's devices in one of the cities of Russia. The necessary amount for the purchase of five new devices was collected in two days. Donations came from neighboring Kuban, from other regions of Russia and abroad. The remaining funds were used by the Cossacks to purchase items for field, emergency surgery and transferred to the doctors of one of the military units on the front line.

A large number of medicines were sent by the communities of the Terek Cossacks of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. These are droppers, scalpels, medical clothes, and other consumables.