Cossacks in the Border Regions of Russia in the Context of the Special Military Operation (SMO): Identity and Military Guidelines

Abstract

The topicality of the research problem consists in the lack of representative studies on the commitment of the Cossacks to participate in the Special Military Operation (SMO). The objective of this paper is to describe the Cossacks’ identity and reveal their value profile. This is done in order to highlight the Cossacks’ military attitudes as a factor of participation in SMO, on the basis of their social portrait. The study of the problem is based on structural-­functional analysis, which connects identity with the fulfillment of social roles and status positions of social groups. The fundamental empirical method employed was a questionnaire survey. The survey was conducted across all thirteen military Cossack societies. The sample size was 2480 respondents. Additionally, the method of analyzing documents was employed, including messengers in social networks, information platforms, and official websites of public authorities. The following positions can be identified as significant findings. The survey of the Cossacks revealed that approximately 30% of respondents considered military service to be an indispensable aspect of the Cossacks’ existence. The age group most likely to support the state policy of involving Cossacks in border protection, including direct participation in combat operations, is the 35‑plus category. The distinctive characteristics of this group are awareness of SWO combat operations, cooperation with Cossacks participants of these operations, and wide support of the Presidential Decree on partial mobilization. The findings of the study indicate that representatives of this group are between one and a half to two times more willing to personally participate in military actions than non-registered Cossacks. These results were confirmed in the documents summarizing the interim results of Cossack participation in the SMO. Consequently, up to and including November 2023, twenty-five thousand Cossacks from eighteen Cossack volunteer detachments were directly involved in the line of combat resistance (LCR). It is notable that men in the 18–23 age group are much less likely to demonstrate adherence to the traditional military complex of the Cossacks. The potential avenues for further research into the issues raised in the paper include the monitoring of Cossack youth socialization, their orientation towards the construction of masculine characteristics and the military-­service aspect of the Cossack identity.

Acknowledgements

This paper utilizes the findings of a project conducted as part of the Ministry of Education and Science State Order “Scientific, methodological and resource support for activities that aim to realize the State Policy Strategy of the Russian Federation with regard to the Russian Cossacks for 2021–2030 years” No. SZ-445-00/476 dated 28.07.2022. The SFU internal registration number is GZ0706/22-05-IS.