Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation

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Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation
Russian: Государственный реестр казачьих обществ Российской Федерации
Emblem of the All-Russian Cossack Society.svg
Emblem of the All-Russian Cossack Society
Founded1995
CountryFlag of Russia.svg  Russia
AllegianceStandard of the President of the Russian Federation.svg President of Russia
Type Cossacks
Size~40,000
Garrison/HQ Moscow, Russia
Website vsko.ru
Commanders
Ataman Vitaly Vladimirovich Kuznetsov
Chairman of the Council for Cossack AffairsAnatoly Seryshev
Insignia
Flag
Flag reestrovogo kazachestva Rossii.png
Patch
Reestr kazach'ikh obshchestv Rossii (shevron).png
AbbreviationКазачество (Kazachestvo)

The Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation, also referred to as neo-Cossacks, [1] [2] are a Cossack paramilitary formation that originally performed non-military and public safety services, on the basis of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation dated December 5, 2005 No. 154-FZ "On State Service of the Russian Cossacks". [3] However, since the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia the Registered Cossacks have assumed a direct military role. [4]

Contents

There reportedly are up to 10 million Cossacks in Russia, and the registered Cossack associations include around 740,000 people, of whom around 600,000 also carry out border and security tasks. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] However, in the 2010 Russian census, only about 67,000 people described themselves as Cossacks. [10]

Cossack units have also been raised by and existing Cossack units have been placed under the control of the National Guard of Russia. [11]

Duties

In peacetime, the registered Cossacks are used for the following activities and functions: conservation, protection and restoration of forests; patriotic education of young people and their preparation for military service; Assistance in natural disasters, accidents, catastrophes and other emergencies; extinguishing forest fires and other fires; protection of public order; Border protection and securing the state border; Protection in municipalities and in municipal institutions and organizations; In some regions, the operation of a city police force (including special units “Kobra”), in which numerous Cossacks ensure public safety.

Cossack Militsiya Chevy Cruze patrol car in St Petersburg. Kazach'ia militsiia 00-02.jpg
Cossack Militsiya Chevy Cruze patrol car in St Petersburg.

Registered Cossacks perform a substitute function on behalf of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In this way, they compensate for the lack of trained personnel in the country's security structures and, through their voluntary work, they contribute to savings for the state budget. [12] [13]

Registered Cossacks receive a stipend [12] and are granted certain privileges: a uniform, a rank, insignia and awards, wearing a Cossack whip (nagaika), sword (shashka), dagger (Qama) and, in certain cases, firearms or a firearms permit in exchange for providing security in certain areas. [12] Registered Cossacks often wear uniforms of the Russian army or uniforms similar to that of the Imperial Russian Army. [12]

All-Russian Cossack Society

Otaman Nikolai Doluda, with the rank of Cossack General, is head of the All-Russian Cossack Society in the newer standing collar uniform. Otaman Doluda Mykola.jpg
Otaman Nikolai Doluda, with the rank of Cossack General, is head of the All-Russian Cossack Society in the newer standing collar uniform.

The All-Russian Cossack Society (Russian: Всероссийское казачье общество, Latinized:Vserossiyskoye kazach'ye obshchestvo) is a government sponsored Cossack advocacy organization in the Russian Federation. It is responsible for the coordination of activities between the 12 registered Cossack hosts. In particular, it works in the spheres of patriotic education and the continuing historical Cossack customs and traditions. Both registered and non-registered Cossack organizations can be part of the society. It is headed by the Society Ataman, Cossack General Nikolai Doluda.

Cossack ranks from yesaul and above are appointed by a Presidential Envoy, the rank of a Cossack general by no less than the President of the Russian Federation. All other ranks are promoted by their respective troop commandants.

Registered Cossacks in military service

Cossack units helped in the Russian operations in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria. [4]

2008 Russian invasion of Georgia

Cossacks also took an active role in the 2008 Russian–Georgian war during which no one could explain what role the Cossacks played in the campaign, as Russian soldiers were distinguished between regular servicemen and Cossacks. [4]

Russo-Ukrainian War

Sloviansk city council under control of Russian Registered Cossacks on 14 April 2014 2014-04-14 Sloviansk city council - 2.jpg
Sloviansk city council under control of Russian Registered Cossacks on 14 April 2014

2014

Various Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation were identified operating in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea in 2014 during the Russo-Ukrainian War with Kuban Cossacks helping occupy the Crimea and Don Cossacks invading the Donbas. Cossack units were organized communities not as spontaneous volunteers. [13]

2022

They are heavily involved in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine [14] where they are part of 18 ‘Cossack’ BARS (Combat Reserve Forces) battalions taking part in the invasion. [14] [15] [16] Per Ataman Nikolai Doluda, head of the All-Russian Cossack Society,"There are three battalions each from the Kuban and Terek hosts, two from Don, one from Orenburg, a Orenburg-Volga combined battalion, one from the Ussuriskiy host, one from the Zabaykalsky host, and one from the union of “Cossack” warriors from abroad" [15] Various sources number Registered Cossacks in the warzone to from 15,000 [17] to 25,000. [14] [18]

The list of Registered Cossack organizations of the Russian Federation

Cossack hosts

The Russian Federation has twelve Cossack hosts officially recognized by the federal government; these being the Don, Kuban, Terek, Orenburg, Volga, Siberian, Yenisei, Zabaykalsky, Irkutsk, and Far Eastern; all formed in the 1990's. [19] The Central Cossack host, including Moscow, was created in 2007 while the Black Sea Cossack host, including the Crimea, was added in 2015. [17] These officially recognized hosts may or may not be the same as the historical hosts. [19]

Sleeve Patch
(Host emblem)
Host nameService uniformsHeadquartersLegislation
Volzhskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Volga Cossack Host
(Волжское казачье войско)
Volzhskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Samara
53°11′09″N50°06′45″E / 53.185963°N 50.112488°E / 53.185963; 50.112488
Sibirskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Siberian Cossack Host
(Сибирское казачье войско)
Sibirskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Omsk
Zabaikal'skoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Trans-Baikal Cossack Host
(Забайкальское казачье войско)
Zabaikal'skoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Chita
Terskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Terek Cossack Host
(Терское казачье войско)
Terskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Stavropol
Ussuriiskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Ussuri Cossack Host
(Уссурийское казачье войско)
Ussuriiskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Vladivostok
Vsevelikoe voisko Donskoe (shevron).png
Don Cossack Host
(Всевеликое войско Донское)
Vsevelikoe voisko Donskoe (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Novocherkassk
Eniseiskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Yenisei Cossacks Host
(Енисейское казачье войско)
Eniseiskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Krasnoyarsk
Orenburgskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Orenburg Cossack Host
(Оренбургское казачье войско)
Orenburgskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Orenburg
Kubanskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Kuban Cossack Host
(Кубанское казачье войско)
Kubanskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Krasnodar
Irkutskoe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Irkutsk Cossack Host
(Иркутское казачье войско)
Irkutskoe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Irkutsk
Tsentral'noe kazach'e voisko (shevron).png
Central Cossack Host
(Центральное казачье войско)
Tsentral'noe kazach'e voisko (forma).png
The main headquarters is located in the city of Moscow
Chernomorskoe kazach'e voisko (gerb).png
Black Sea Cossack Host
(Черноморское казачье войско)
The main headquarters is located in the city of Simferopol
2021

Note that under the new uniform regulations the open collar tunic, worn with a shirt and tie, has been replaced by a tunic with a standing collar.

Independent Districts

In addition to the military Cossack Hosts, there are other registered societies which are active auxiliaries:

Both of the above last two were integrated into the Black Sea Cossack host in 2015.

Cossack ranks and insignia

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
Flag reestrovogo kazachestva Rossii.png Registered Cossacks of the
Russian Federation
[20]
Kazachii general (chin).png Kazachii polkovnik (chin).png Voiskovoi starshina (chin).png Esaul (chin).png Pod'esaul (chin).png Sotnik (chin).png Khorunzhii (chin).png Podkhorunzhii (chin).png
Казáчий генéрал
Kazáchiy generál
Казáчий полкóвник
Kazáchiy polkóvnik
Войсковóй старшинá
Vojskovói starshiná
Есаýл
Yesaúl
Подъесаýл
Podyesaúl
Сóтник
Sótnik
Хорýнжий
Khorúnzhyi
Подхорýнжий
Podkhorúnzhiy
Field uniform Kazachii general (chin) kom.png Kazachii polkovnik (chin) kom.png Voiskovoi starshina (chin) kom.png Esaul (chin) kom.png Pod'esaul (chin) kom.png Sotnik (chin) kom.png Khorunzhii (chin) kom.png Podkhorunzhii (chin) kom.png

Army equivalent Генера́л-лейтена́нт
Generál-leytenánt
Полко́вник
Polkóvnik
Подполко́вник
Podpolkóvnik
Майо́р
Majór
Kапита́н
Kapitán
Старший лейтена́нт
Stárshiy leytenánt
Лейтенант
Leytenant
Mла́дший лейтена́нт
Mládshiy leytenánt
Курсант
Kursant
Rank groupGeneral/flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
Flag reestrovogo kazachestva Rossii.png Registered Cossacks of the
Russian Federation
[20]
Starshii vakhmistr (chin).png Vakhmistr (chin).png Mladshii vakhmistr (chin).png Starshii uriadnik (chin).png Uriadnik (chin).png Mladshii uriadnik (chin).png Prikaznyi (chin).png Kazak (chin).png
Стáрший вáхмистр
Stárshiy váhmistr
Вáхмистр
Váhmistr
Млáдший вáхмистр
Mládshiy váhmistr
Стáрший урядник
Stárshiy Uryádnik
Урядник
Uryádnik
Млáдший урядник
Mládshiy Uryádnik
Прикáзный
Prikáznyi
Казáк
Kazák
Field uniform Starshii vakhmistr (chin) kom.png Vakhmistr (chin) kom.png Mladshii vakhmistr (chin) kom.png Starshii uriadnik (chin) kom.png Uriadnik (chin) kom.png Mladshii uriadnik (chin) kom.png Prikaznyi (chin) kom.png Kazak (chin) kom.png

Army equivalent Ста́рший пра́порщик
Stárshiy práporshchik
Пра́порщик
Práporshchyk
Старшина́
Starshyná
Ста́рший сержа́нт
Stárshiy serzhánt
Сержа́нт
Serzhánt
Мла́дший сержа́нт
Mládshiy serzhánt
Ефре́йтор
Efréĭtor
Рядово́й
Ryadovóy
Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted

See also

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