The Communist regime never recognized Cossacks as a national or ethnic group and they were listed as Russians or Ukrainians.
Under the Soviets, Cossacks were deported and repressed. During the nineteenth century the Cossacks formed the Don Cossack Republic along the lower and middle reaches of the River Don. By the end of the nineteenth century, Cossack settlement stretched from southern Russia to the Pacific. Cossacks were also used to repress uprisings against the Russian state. Traditionally Cossacks guarded the frontiers of the Russian Empire and in return were granted land privileges. Historical contextĬossack communities ( hosts) were formed in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries by runaway serfs. According to the 2010 national census, there are 647,732 Cossacks in the Russian Federation. Closely associated with martial arts and horsemanship and fiercely loyal to the Russian state, historically the Cossacks played an important role in the colonization of frontier regions as local guardians of vulnerable borders. We have a small favour to ask: if you appreciate our work, would you mind considering making a donation to support our work?Ĭossacks were a social group that had begun to develop some ethnic identity prior to the Russian Revolution.
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