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Early Post-Soviet Russian Cossacks

A distinctive and unusual uniformed force emerged and became a fairly common sight since 1990. Turn-of-the-century uniforms are now freely worn by swaggering Cossacks carrying sidearms and lead-weighted whips (nagayka). A people and a way of life that had been systematically destroyed by the Soviets have risen from the ashes to play an ever-increasing role as both a military and law enforcement force and “king maker.” The impetus behind the post-Soviet Cossack movement came from singers and dancers in folk ensembles — not from a warrior clan.

Cossack communities and hosts began to appear all across the former Soviet Union. By 1992, they occupied a belt stretching across the width of the land mass of the former Soviet Empire and ominously across borders of newly independent republics. It became readily apparent that the movement was concerned with reclamation of Cossack lands, establishment of Cossack self-government and protection of Russians who suddenly found themselves living in newly independent republics as “strangers and outsiders.” Cossacks took over local government or established parallel organs of power to that of local government, including courts. Accepted, but by no means all-inclusive, hallmarks of the Cossack movement were land ownership; maintenance of military forces and self-rule, preferential tax treatment based on their military readiness and agrarian production role; and Orthodoxy.

Although the Cossack movement shared many goals, it was hardly monolithic. Instead, Cossacks mirror the political picture of contemporary Russia. Russia was not a two-party democracy. Some of the parties struggling for power were descendants of the parties that vied for power during the Civil War. Reds (bolsheviks), Blacks (anarchists), Greens (populists), Browns (fascists), Whites (monarchists and conservative nationalists) and Blues (national democrats) were among the political players. Alliances, such as the Red-Browns and the Black-Greens, are common. While the atamans may reflect certain political inclination, the member Cossacks may have very different convictions.

There was a major feud between Reds and Whites. Independent, regional associations, such as the Union of Cossack Republics and the Cossacks of Southern Russia, formed. The Kuban Cossacks resurrected and combined two Civil War era political parties, the Greens and the Anarchists, into the Anarcho-Green Cossack Union. Yet, despite the multiple factions, Cossacks formed a powerful political element in Russia.

In some regions, volunteer Cossack auxiliaries help maintain order. In Rostov Oblast, they patrol the streets; maintain order on public transportation and during mass events; help in the fight against hooliganism, drunkenness, moonshine production and drug addiction; and assist the prosecutor's office, the courts and the tax inspectorate. In other regions, Cossacks had taken over law enforcement and maintenance of public morality entirely. This led to overzealous behavior and indiscriminate use of the nagayka in public floggings.

Cossacks in Chita (Eastern Siberia) gave a vote of no confidence to their ataman and his aides because of the ataman's use of public flogging, creation of his own intelligence service, creation of morality patrols and maintenance of files on all members of the Cossack community.

Cossacks actively sought to reestablish their traditional border guard role and based on their current locations, were well positioned to perform this duty (although many Cossacks are located well across the borders in Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan). A Cossack sotnya (100-man unit) was based out of the stanitsa of Nezlobnaya - either as the guard unit or as an auxiliary in the area close to troubled Northern Ossetia. In the Transbaikal area, a Cossack border guard regiment is replacing the Internal Security border guards and establishing a traditional military colony that will combine military duties with agriculture and local industry. The regiment would guard the border with Mongolia.

As early as spring 1991, the Don Cossack Krug petitioned then Chief of Staff Moiseyev to allow Don Cossack units within the Soviet armed forces. They proposed establishment of mounted Cossack cavalry regiments, Cossack spetsnaz brigades, separate infantry (plastun) divisions, mounted border guard companies and complete ship crews. They also asked to take over the Novocherkassk Higher Military Command Signal School (a commissioning school) and use it as the Don Cossacks Junkers school with a faculty to teach combined arms, artillery, signal, service support and military medicine. Serving generals and officers began accepting the office of ataman or other military positions with Cossack hosts.

On or about 20 May 1992, Yeltsin signed legislative acts that restored Cossack regiments to the Russian army. Each Cossack host would raise its own units and bear part of the expense for the maintenance of the units. Military chaplains would be reintroduced into these Cossack units. The first Cossack regiment in the Russian army was stationed in Transbaikal near the Chinese border."

Decree 632, titled "On Measures to Implement the Russian Federation Law ‘On the Rehabilitation of Repressed Peoples' in Relation to the Cossacks,” dated 15 June 1992, further states: "The Russian Federation Defense Ministry and the Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs, in conjunction with other interested organs, should submit proposals on the procedure for and special features of the military service performed by Cossacks, and also safeguard the state borders and public order.”

In addition to Cossack units in the armed forces, there were large, armed Cossack units whose allegiance is nominally to their Cossack host. In the unsettled political and economic crisis that was gripping Russia, there was ample opportunity for freebooting gangs. There were many parallels between post-Soviet Russia and Germany following the Thirty Years War or the Great War with armed semi military forces roaming about.

Historically, Cossacks have been anti-Turkish and anti-Semitic and frequently led pogroms against Jewish settlements. Don Cossack leaders continue to incite social tension and extremist tendencies with anti-Moslem, anti-Jewish and anti-Caucasian pronouncements and proposed segregation measures. In January 1992, Don Cossacks actively participated in a pogrom against Jews.

On or about 20 May 1992, Yeltsin signed legislative acts that restored Cossack regiments to the Russian army. Each Cossack host would raise its own units and bear part of the expense for the maintenance of the units. Military chaplains would be reintroduced into these Cossack units. The first Cossack regiment in the Russian army is stationed in Transbaikal near the Chinese border.