Registered Cossacks Of Russian Federation

The State Register of Cossack Societies in the Russian Federation is a system of record of Cossack communities, whose members in accordance with the established order took obligations to perform public service (without the right to create paramilitary associations and armed units), created in accordance with Presidential Decree № 835 of August 9, 1995.

The later Federal Law of the Russian Federation #154-FZ dated December 5, 2005 On the State Service of the Russian Cossacks refers to the Register as "the information resource that contains information on Cossack Societies" and defines Russian Cossacks as "the citizens of the Russian Federation, who are members of Cossack Communities".

Initially the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Nationalities Affairs and Regional Policy was responsible for maintaining the state register.

Later these responsibilities were assigned to:

    Ministry of the Russian Federation for Nationalities and Federal Relations;
    Ministry of Federation and Nationalities of the Russian Federation;
    Federal Registration Service;
    Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

Only Cossack societies, which are registered as such and are on the State Register of Cossack Societies have the right to be involved in state service. Cossack public associations, other non-commercial and commercial organizations do not get the right to carry out public service.

Despite the adoption of Federal Law No. 154-FZ of December 5, 2005 "On State Service of the Russian Cossacks" and the presence of a separate section on "State Service" in it, the concept of state "or other" service (obligations to perform which "in the established order was assumed" by members of Cossack communities entered on the State Register) is still not clearly defined.

Types of public service, to which the Russian Cossacks are involved are defined by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of February 26th, 2010 № 93. They include:

    organization and maintenance of military registration of members of Cossack societies, organization of military-patriotic education of conscripts, their preparation for military service and non-military training of members of Cossack societies during their stay in the reserve;
    prevention and liquidation of emergencies and natural disasters, civil and territorial defense, the implementation of environmental protection measures;
    protection of public order, environmental and fire safety, protection of the state border of the Russian Federation, the fight against terrorism.
    protection of fauna objects;
    protection of forests;
    protection of objects of vital activity of the population;
    protection of objects owned by the state and municipal property;
    protection of cultural heritage.

Cossack societies are involved in carrying out these types of services by concluding appropriate contracts with the relevant executive authorities.

In addition, despite the fact that historically Cossacks have traditionally been obliged to perform military service, the special attitude of the Cossack societies on the Register towards military service is not fully defined either. Thus, in the Temporary Regulations on the State Register of Cossack Societies, which were in effect until October 2013, it was explicitly stipulated to assume obligations of state and other service "without the right to create paramilitary associations and armed formations within their ranks. However, paragraph 4 of Article 5 of the Federal Law No 154-FZ of December 5, 2005 "On State Service of the Russian Cossacks" states:

    4. The Russian Cossacks, in accordance with the established procedure:

    1) assists state bodies in organizing and maintaining the military registration of members of Cossack societies, organizes military-patriotic education of conscripts and their preparation for military service and extra-military training of members of Cossack societies during their stay in the reserve;

    2) participates in measures for the prevention and liquidation of emergency situations and the liquidation of the consequences of natural disasters, in civil and territorial defense, and in nature protection measures;

    3) take part in protecting public order, ensuring environmental and fire safety, protecting the state border of the Russian Federation, and combating terrorism;

    4) carry out other activities on the basis of treaties (agreements) between Cossack communities and military authorities, federal executive bodies and (or) their territorial bodies, the bodies of executive authority of the subjects of the Russian Federation and local self-government bodies of municipal formations in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

    ...

    8) The Russian Cossacks may be called upon to perform municipal service in accordance with federal legislation on the condition that the Cossack community whose members have assumed municipal service obligations in accordance with the established procedure has been registered with the State Register of Cossack Communities in the Russian Federation. Russian Cossacks perform municipal service in accordance with federal legislation, legislation of constituent entities of the Russian Federation and charters of municipal formations.

Starting from 2011 and up to 2014, members of Cossack societies were sent for military service to military units having the honorary title of "Cossack" (each military Cossack society sent to a certain military unit). In the course of changes in the conscription rules since 2014, there is no information about conscription of Cossacks to Cossack military units.

A number of regions have municipal Cossack militia (Cossack brigades, including special units - Cossack Rapid Response Detachments /RRTs/), and numerous Cossack security organizations successfully operate. At present, in a number of subjects of the Federation state bodies and institutions that provide support to Cossacks and implement the right of Cossacks to perform public service have been established[12].

The modern Registered Cossacks of Russia, duplicating the functions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, compensate for the significant lack of staffing of these structures, which translates into real savings in the state budget.

The American analogue of the Registered Cossacks can be, to a certain extent, considered to be the National Guard.

Since the establishment of the State Register, the hierarchy of the Registered Cossack Communities was introduced in the temporary regulations of the State Register. Thus, initially the regulation introduced the following types of societies[3]:

    khutorskie,
    stanitsa,
    city,
    district (divisional),
    army ones.

With the entry into force of the Federal Law "On State Service of the Russian Cossacks" No. 154-FZ of December 5, 2005, the system of Cossack communities was supplemented by district (yurt) Cossack societies, which became a "layer" between the primary (stanitsa, khutor and city) and district (department) communities.

Since 2011, the All-Russian Cossack Society was introduced into the system of Cossack societies, whose statute is approved by the President of the Russian Federation. This society should unite all military and individual district (detached) Cossack societies into a single system. The All-Russian Cossack Society was approved at a congress on November 27, 2018, when 500 delegates from all Cossack societies voted for it unanimously.

In fact, the highest level of the hierarchy are the army Cossack societies. (However, the Cossack hierarchy is based on the opposite principle of democratic centralism, which consists in the accountability and controllability of the higher bodies to the lower ones).

At present, there are 11 Registered Registered Military Cossack Communities on the territory of the Russian Federation with their governing bodies. In addition to military Cossack societies, registered Cossack societies include:

    Separate North-Western Cossack District (Area of Operation - North-Western Federal District);
    District Cossack Society "Baltic Separate Cossack District - Baltic Cossack Union" (area of activity - Kaliningrad region);
    District Cossack Society "Sevastopol Cossack District" (territory of activity - Sevastopol);
    The Crimean District Cossack Society "Crimean Cossack Host" (area of operation - the Republic of Crimea);

According to the Decree of the President, the Cossack ranks are referred to special ranks.

Cossack ranks are divided into the lower, junior, senior, chief and highest ranks.

The lower ranks can be given by an ataman of a Regional (District) Cossack Society. The junior and senior ranks are to be awarded by the military ataman. The plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Federal District where a Cossack community is located (Chairman of the Council for Cossack Affairs) assigns ranks starting from Cossack sergeant, and the President of the Russian Federation himself assigns the rank of Cossack general.

The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 10, 2010 № 171 "On the uniform and insignia of rank for members of Cossack communities, included in the State Register of Cossack Communities in the Russian Federation," established insignia of rank (shoulder straps). Other Cossack associations are prohibited from having similar insignia.

The insignia (epaulets) in each military Cossack society have their own color of edgings and apertures (the lower and junior ranks have their own field). Shoulder straps are rectangular, with trapezoidal (of higher, major, senior ranks, senior vahmister and vahmister) and triangular upper edges (of the junior vahmister and lower ranks). Service shoulder straps of senior, chief and higher ranks have a silver field, casual shoulder straps have upper margin.

The description of the shoulder straps to the marching uniform, as well as the presence of edgings, apertures and margins are not specified in the normative legal acts.

Stars for all the ranks were of golden (on the marching uniform - of a protective color), 13 mm in diameter.

Buttons on shoulder straps, stripes for lower and junior ranks, shoulder straps for higher and higher ranks are of silver color.

Shoulder straps of lower and junior ranks are of silver color (white on the marching uniform). Wide shoulder straps are 30 mm wide and narrow ones are 10 mm wide.

Presidential Decree No. 168 of February 9, 2010 "On Establishing Coats of Arms and Flags of the Registered Cossack Troops (or Communities) of the Russian Federation" approved coats of arms and flags of the Registered Cossack Troops (Communities) of the Russian Federation.

Presidential Decree № 171 of 2010 approved the uniforms of members of Cossack communities, included in the State Register of Cossack Communities of the Russian Federation, included in one or another of the military Cossack communities.

Order № 180 of Minregion of Russia of 2010 approved the uniforms of members of district (departmental) Cossack communities, included in the State Register of Cossack Communities in the Russian Federation, but not belonging to military Cossack communities, and the specifics of wearing them.

Pursuant to Nos. 181 and 182 of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation, there were approved the Description of uniforms and insignia, as well as the Order of wearing uniforms of members of Cossack Communities, registered in the State Register of Cossack Communities in the Russian Federation.

There are several kinds of uniforms for members of Cossack communities:
    Special parade uniform is worn as part of ceremonial units, as well as in other cases by the decision of the atamans;
    The parade uniform for the ceremonial march - to be worn on the parade march on the state holidays and annual holidays of the military or district (divisional) Cossack communities, on official events with the participation of military and district (divisional) Cossack communities, and in other cases - under the decision of atamans;
    Parade weekend - when holding general meetings of military and district (divisional) Cossack communities, when holding general meetings of Cossack communities, during which the reception of new members is being organized; in other cases - by decision of the atamans; the full dress uniform can be worn on weekends and holidays, and also when visiting the church;
    The marching outfit is worn when carrying out obligations to ensure public order, during field training, and in other cases - by the decision of the atamans;
    The Cossacks are dressed in their regular uniforms on all the other occasions.

For all Cossacks, who are members of registered Cossack Communities, Cossack credentials were established by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation # 170 as of October 09, 2010. However, as of November 20, 2014, issuing of Cossack certificates in Voivodeship Cossack Societies had not started. In this regard, Cossack certificates of the 1998 image are in use.

Main Source Used: ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D… [translated by me]