Cossacks in Russia are associations of people formed on the basis of a complex ethnic and social culture on the outskirts of the Russian state. The Cossacks lived (or were revived) in the southern outskirts of Russia due to the specifics of the region.
First of all, these are their representatives who appeared on the Don, in the Urals and in the Lower Volga region. This also includes the Kuban Cossacks. This concept appeared at the official level in 1796. This was the name of the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks, who, by decree of Catherine II, were resettled to the Kuban from the Zaporizhzhya Sich.
What are modern Cossacks and how to join the Cossacks? Information about this will be presented in our article.
About varieties
For the first time the Cossacks are mentioned in Russian sources in the XVI century. Historians to this day cannot develop an unambiguous opinion about theirorigin. The only thing that they undertake to assert with a high degree of certainty is that the emergence of the Cossacks refers to the zone of contacts between several different ethnic groups. And the word "Cossack" undoubtedly has a Turkic origin.
The following types of Cossacks are known in Russia:
- Seversky Cossacks. From the end of the 16th century - a service class that lived on the territory of modern Russia and Ukraine, in the basins of such rivers as: Seversky Donets, Desna, Sula, Seima, Oskol and others.
- Don. The largest Cossack army in the Russian Empire. It was located on a separate territory - in the Region of the Don Cossacks, named in connection with the Don River. This territory corresponds to parts of such modern regions as Rostov, Volgograd, Voronezh, and in Ukraine - Lugansk and Donetsk.
- Yaikskie. They appeared after the Don Cossacks moved to the Yaik River. Known for participation in the Pugachev uprising. In order to forget this episode, the Yaitsky army was renamed by Catherine II into the Urals in 1775, and the Yaik River into the Urals.
- Far Eastern. They were pioneers in the Far East. They not only expanded the eastern borders of the Russian Kingdom, but also created original cultural traditions. Among them, several groups stand out, including Amur, Transbaikal, Ussuri, Kamchatka, Yakut Cossacks.
- Kuban. Their predecessors were immigrants from Ukraine. They inhabited such modern regions of the North Caucasus as the Krasnodar Territory, the westStavropol Ridge, south of the Rostov region, Adygea and Karachay-Cherkessia.
In modern Russia
After the October Revolution, the Cossack troops were disbanded, which basically sided with the White movement. During the Civil War, the Cossacks were subjected to repression. It was only in 1992 that the victims of terror were rehabilitated.
From 1980 to 1990, there was a reconstruction and creation of the Cossack troops, of which there are about twenty. They are united in the Union of Cossacks of Russia. In total, today it includes more than 1.5 million people across all organizations.
Therefore, it is the largest Cossack organization in the world. Members of the Union of Cossacks of Russia took part in armed conflicts in the region of Transnistria and Donbass.
And also the Cossacks unite in the territories of their residence to organize self-government, management, in order to preserve and develop traditional life and culture. Such associations are called Cossack communities or societies.
Who can join them and how to do it? To answer this question, let's talk more about how to join the Cossacks.
Administrative regulation
A specialized act that regulates the performance of the civil service by the Russian Cossacks is the federal law “On the Civil Service of the Russian Cossacks” No. 154-FZ of 05.12.2005.and the procedure for its passage and termination, the rights and obligations of the Cossacks.
In accordance with this law, Russian Cossacks perform military, civil, and law enforcement-related service. What is needed to join the Cossacks? An exhaustive answer to this question is given by the Approximate Procedure, which regulates the procedure by which citizens are admitted to urban, stanitsa, and farm societies. It was approved by the Council under the President of the Russian Federation, dealing with the affairs of the Cossacks, on February 11, 2010. After reading it, it will become clear how to become a Cossack.
Statement
In the Procedure explaining how to join the Cossacks, it is said that citizens join stanitsa societies voluntarily. The children of those who are already members of such societies are also members.
Admission of candidates is carried out on the basis of an application addressed to the ataman, written in his own hand. It indicates a request for admission to the Cossack society of the village.
Attachments
The following documents are attached to the application:
- The petition of two Cossacks of this society, whose term of stay in it is not less than 2 years.
- Application form for issuing a Cossack certificate.
- Copies of documents confirming the information specified in the application form.
- Two 3x4 photos.
- Other documents that may be provided for by the charter of this village society.
The specified documentation is completed by the headquarters of the society in a personal file. If the Cossack goes toanother society, his personal file is transferred there to the headquarters.
Probation and voting
Considering the question of how to become a Cossack, it must be said that the candidate will definitely be assigned a probationary period. During his passage, he must:
- On a general basis, participate in the activities of the stanitsa society. But do not have the right to vote and the right to be elected or appointed to any leadership position.
- Study the charter of the society, as well as legal acts adopted regarding the Russian Cossacks.
Admission to the Cossacks takes place at a general meeting after the probationary period has expired. The decision is made by a majority of votes cast by the Cossacks who are present at it. However, the charter may provide for other voting conditions.
Its results (on acceptance or refusal) are formalized by a decision approved by the ataman. Copies of the decision and order are sent to the headquarters of the district (yurt) or district (departmental) society.
New member of the Cossack society
After the headquarters receives the relevant documents, a Cossack certificate is issued there, which is transferred to the stanitsa ataman. He hands it over to a person who has joined the ranks of the Cossacks for 30 days. The charter of the company may provide for another period.
A new member of the Cossack society acquires a uniform corresponding to the established pattern, and he studies the rules for wearing it. If a Cossack passes from one society to another, then upon presentation to themrecall, a probationary period may not be assigned.
How the meeting works
Concluding the consideration of the question of how to join the Cossacks, it is worth briefly talking about how the meeting is going. For this, there is an Approximate regulation that determines the order of its passage. It looks like this.
- The venue for the solemn meeting, which receives new Cossacks, is chosen in accordance with the charter and historical traditions.
- Cossacks at the appointed time, dressed in uniform, line up, forming a ring. Candidates stand inside it, one at a time. Opposite them is an ataman, a priest and a banner group.
- The priest gives his blessing for the meeting.
- Ataman announces the results of the probationary period, announces the voting held separately for each candidate.
- The candidate briefly talks about his religion and life path, his usefulness for the Cossack society.
- For each candidate, a decision is made in the form of voting provided for by the charter.
- During the break, the ataman draws up the results of the vote and the order for admission to the Cossacks.
- After a break, the candidate, called by the ataman, accepted into society, reads the code of Cossack honor before the formation and undertakes to follow it.
- The newly adopted accepts congratulations from the ataman, receives from him an extract from the order on this, shoulder straps and takes his place among the Cossacks.
- The meeting ends with a religious ceremony performed bypriest.
