“As fighters private military companies to raise, that they are the defenders of the Motherland, not mercenaries? The answer to this question is in the historical experience of the Cossacks have”, - he said in an interview with the head of the Cossack society Expeditionary Dmitry Karpushin. In his opinion, Today Cossacks took over this Chechens, but the Cossacks capacity to service the country is still high.
On the first day of September at the initiative of Patriarch Kirill Russia celebrates Day of the Cossacks. On the eve of this holiday, it was announced, As for 2025 the government plans to spend 765 million rubles for the creation of a system of public-public partnership with the Russian Cossacks, with the result that their societies must increase their numbers with 180 thousands to 206 thousands of people. These funds will be allocated in the framework of the state program of national policies, the purpose of which is called harmonization of inter-ethnic relations and the strengthening of the unity of the Russian nation. Considering, Cossacks that funding is allocated to a special subroutine, Cossacks in this case, the State assigns a significant role.
In recent years, the Cossack associations increasingly come into the focus of attention of Russian media, including in the framework of a rather scandalous stories. In this case, the attitude towards them in the country is ambiguous. For some, the Cossacks - moral and patriotic landmark, others associate them with arbitrariness and retrograde orders, others say and do, that the modern Cossacks not real, a “maskers”.
About, whether such an opinion, what might be the function of the Cossacks in Russia today, and, in particular, in the Caucasus, Does the country private military companies need and can we consider the Russian Cossacks, newspaper “Sight” I talked with the head of the expedition Cossack society, ethnographer Dmitry Karpushina.
Let's start shall understand, who the Cossacks? This is a profession? estate? People? Ideynaya gruppa?
Dmitry Karpushin: First of all, people. Hundreds of thousands - ethnic Cossacks by birth and origin. Speaking about the Cossacks, I will keep in mind of these people, rather than the notorious activists with whips and stripes of the TV. Therefore, the Cossacks, of course, people. We just have a traditional occupation, It has always been.
People - soldier by profession?
D. TO.: So to speak, Russian Cossack people entrusted several related professional roles, one way or another connected with the military tradition. The commission that was formalized as a tax credit and thus acquired a class character. However, even in the Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire in the early twentieth century, a simple and unambiguous definition of birth was given to the Cossacks: and mentioned "the Cossack class", and "Cossack state", and even “Cossack population”. At all, Cossack nation stands on three pillars: ethnos, ideology, self-organization. As soon as trying to reduce to something one, It begins an incredible confusion.
If the Cossacks - a separate nation, that is, assertion “Cossacks - not Russian”?
D. TO.: And yes, and there. Tell me about Kazak, he Russian, so it will start to object and clarify. And say, that he was not Russian - this is some big lie. In some respects, more difficult to find a Russian man, than Cossack. can say, Cossacks - a Russian in Russia. We are about the same for Russia, that Russia for Europe.
In what sense?
D. TO.: look: Russian is much more committed to the traditional values, than Europeans. And the Cossacks, in its turn, We committed to the same values greater, than Russian. Or, eg, ask the Russian: you Europeans? Russian answer: we Europeans in terms of Asians, and next to the Europeans we are not that Asians, we just… Russian. Single story. That's the same with the Cossacks “another story”.
so, Russian Cossacks are looking at about the same, Europeans on Russian?
D. TO.: exactly. Europeans have little understanding of Russian and invent all sorts of stereotypes about them - often implausible, and sometimes very unpleasant: nesting, balalaika, Bears at Krasnaya Ploshchad. Similarly, the Russian Cossacks perceived through the prism of known patterns: Lubo, saber, whip, pogrom.
There is a more critical reaction. Many people believe, Now that there was no Cossacks in principle, no, Now with the king were real Cossacks, and now only “maskers”.
D. TO.: Cossacks as a people to prove anything to anyone does not make sense. If we talk about the Cossack organizations, then they do not need to argue, and act, in fact, demonstrate their necessity to the society. And just like that cherish their identity but tell, as we all have for the genocide of the Cossacks… What is the point? Yes, genocide was, and incredibly bloody, but Moscow, do you know, does not trust tears. I, eg, want, my grandchildren to feel themselves to be descendants of happy people.
That is, you are offering to minimize the dialogue with the Russian Cossacks majority?
D. TO.: Not that I am against a dialogue. If people are interested, why not tell. Against what I object, because it is against the fruitless debate on the topic of, some Cossacks “real”, and what “maskers”. That is precisely from these squabbles will not be any good. And generally speaking, We need to understand, that there are no organizations and groups, who could speak for the whole people of the Cossack.
Then we will not ask for all the people, ask your private opinion: than the Cossacks can be useful modern Russia?
D. TO.: Yes, properly, same, than pre-revolutionary Russia were helpful. The Cossacks, like other peoples of the Empire, Historically a clear place in the inter-ethnic division of labor.
At first, This development spaces. It's not just about the conquest. In sparsely populated areas any traveler moving from one to the other Cossack cordon. Cossacks there were border guards, and mail, and even the usual accompaniment of scientific expeditions. And in the case of, is today called “terrorist threat”, and counter-terrorism resource.
Secondly, preservation of male tradition for Russia. Kazak - male symbol, clear and nechuzhoy for the whole country. Traditionally, more attention to the education of adults Cossacks sons, boys-soldiers, to their training - it is the custom for Russian obscheponyatny, this male behavior, respected not only in the villages, but also in cities, in the villages, in the villages.
Thirdly, Cossacks - a kind “managers” interethnic relations, kind of buffer between and by Great small nations. First of all, of course, in the Caucasus, but not limited to. Prevention of conflicts in the areas of inter-ethnic contact - it, Firstly, Cossacks.
As can be easily seen, all of the above is quite important for modern Russia. As for the inter-ethnic relations - even more than the actual. Another thing, We are ready for the role modern Cossack community.
Take the same Stavropol, where ever there are conflicts between local and migrant. there is an opinion, that would not prevent strong Cossack hand there…
D. TO.: Just do not have anyone “Cossacks to disperse”. This stereotype is a bad, harmful, impose on society (the same Cossacks, by the way). When people talk about the Caucasian War of the XIX century, They overlooked, that the work of the Cossacks in the end turned out to be probably the world, than a war. The Cossacks were clear and mountaineers, and Russian. norms, which followed the Cossacks, also. how, however, and the Cossacks were clear rules of coexistence of the Caucasus.
One of the chieftains of the South Russian told me, as he soon after the second Chechen campaign, was appointed head of the administration of one of the districts of Chechnya. Of course, most of his subordinates, Employees of the district administration, They were Chechens. He gathered them together and said,: “I will not lie to you, if I will treat you like the Cossacks, as his. But I promise you all justice”. Him, his man in the Caucasus, it was clear, it is the only possible formulation of the question. If he promised, it will not make a difference between his and others', it would be considered a liar, any person, shamefully have forgotten their roots.
As a result, all his life he has worked fine, without incident. It was not necessary to equip hundreds of Cossack troops or cause. Although, of course, armed force behind - this is important. As is often said in those parts: Caucasus respects power and money. But understanding, how to build relationships, often eliminates all use of force. It is much more important for the state resource, Cem irregulyarnaya cavalry.
It sounds quite promising. Why did the authorities do not use this resource?
D. TO.: Recovery of Cossack functions in modern terms - a rather risky work. In that sense,, no one understands, on how to run its algorithms. Therefore, no one does not risk to take up the matter seriously. Much easier to assemble a choir with an accordion, the child in lampasы vыryadyt, cheeks painted her maiden - and to a fair issue. minimum risk. Well, even Cossacks vigilantes burn. Cossack detachments in the village - this is normal, people maintain order there, Where live. And here in the capital, within my recollection, from 1990 Cossack patrols year ended zilch.
Sovereign people to get to work with the Cossacks, they need a good understanding of opportunities for career, excuse me, win. And because all of us - and the Cossacks, and Russian, Russians - hostage cheap popular stereotypes and idiotic stories about clowns in stripes, this win officials do not see. After all, this gain in terms odnohodovok and fairground booths is not described and the bureaucrats simply unknown, although it is possible.
Do you believe, that the situation could change and Cossacks again be in demand in the real state business?
D. TO.: There's no need to sit and wait, while you will claim. Explain the state benefit from the Cossacks - a task themselves Cossacks. If existing organizations can not cope with this task, so, they are ineffective. After all, in historical retrospect Cossacks formed only because, that it was the need of the state. It was sort of “state order”. This “state order” still here, it is still relevant. But so far the effective supply of this order is not received from the Cossacks, and most of the other people.
You mean someone in particular?
D. TO.: It is a particular. This idea is very few people like, but, in my opinion, Today is a historic feature of the Cossacks took the Chechens. I do not presume to give it some estimates, just stating.
Unexpected turn.
D. TO.: And you look impartially. In fact, today Cossack vacant niche partially filled Chechen units. Their similarity with the Cossack role not only in the ethnic homogeneity, Compatriot principle of acquisition and commitment to traditional values. Is the intersection of geopolitical and, not afraid of the word, level.
In the early 1990s, I spoke with a foreign journalist, who came to Russia to write a great article on the revival of the Cossacks. After two months of research it in his article, I gave a definition of the Cossacks: “The system of militarized clans, guarding the southern border of Russia on the basis of a tax deal with the tsarist government”. An outside observer is inherent in the exact look. Change in this formula “the clans” on “tapes”, remember the famous “Allah gives”, and you get a real picture of the day. Is it bad? If the boundary of the castle and unfriendly emissaries through it do not leak, it's good.
However, the Cossacks are unlikely to give up so easy to accept its historical role. As we found out, the desire to regain its position there. But is there any concrete ideas and suggestions? Where to begin?
D. TO.: Start with a dedicated and thoughtful “pilot projects”, small-scale and narrow-profile content. If successful, this experience can be replicated. For example, Now they argue about, Does Russia need the private military companies. In times of Ataman Ermak, whose squad just is a private military company, which operated in the public interest, this question was not. Another thing, what do you need to grow Cossack PMCs, and it's not just skills of, discipline and loyalty to the state. Should be clearly defined: as the PMC soldiers to educate, so that they, too, were the defenders of the Motherland, not mercenaries? The answer to this question is in the historical experience of the Cossacks have, Just do not be distracted by the forelocks, will talk about the Cossack and other exotics. This experience is technologically and therefore of little interest to the layman, and its specificity is, that it can be used only by the state. And such narrow objectives, including those not necessarily of a military nature, at the Cossacks can be a list of: in the sphere of inter-ethnic, in matters of youth work. But it is important not to equate the Cossacks and Cossack club fans.
How to spend the brink?
D. TO.: Along ethnic lines. Go back to the beginning of the conversation: Cossacks - a nation or ideology? The state is now leaning toward the latter, forgetting about the first. Meanwhile ethnic Cossack possess much more significant motivation to solve the aforementioned problems. Of course, it does not mean, that the Cossack service - a private club and the entrance there only for their own. All normal people are happy followers, Cossacks no exception. But if we are talking about “pilot projects”, then it is advisable to start their, based precisely on ethnic, “natural” Cossacks. It's for them - not a hobby, not ideological passion. They can not “change mind” be Cossacks. They were born of, and they will die.