# Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation

The Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation are a Cossack paramilitary formation that originally performed non-military and public safety services, on the basis of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation dated December 5, 2005 No. 154-FZ "On State Service of the Russian Cossacks". However, since the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia the Registered Cossacks have assumed a direct military role.
There reportedly are up to 10 million Cossacks in Russia, and the registered Cossack associations include around 740,000 people, of whom around 600,000 also carry out border and security tasks. However, in the 2010 Russian census, only about 67,000 people described themselves as Cossacks.
Cossack units have also been raised for and existing Cossack units have been placed under the control of the National Guard of Russia.

## Duties

In peacetime, the registered Cossacks are used for the following activities and functions: conservation, protection and restoration of forests; patriotic education of young people and their preparation for military service; Assistance in natural disasters, accidents, catastrophes and other emergencies; extinguishing forest fires and other fires; protection of public order; Border protection and securing the state border; Protection in municipalities and in municipal institutions and organizations; In some regions, the operation of a city police force (including special units “Kobra”), in which numerous Cossacks ensure public safety.
Registered Cossacks perform a substitute function on behalf of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In this way, they compensate for the lack of trained personnel in the country's security structures and, through their voluntary work, they contribute to savings for the state budget.
Registered Cossacks receive a stipend and are granted certain privileges: a uniform, a rank, insignia and awards, wearing a Cossack whip (nagaika), sword (shashka), dagger (Qama) and, in certain cases, firearms or a firearms permit in exchange for providing security in certain areas. Registered Cossacks often wear uniforms of the Russian army or uniforms similar to that of the Imperial Russian Army.

## All-Russian Cossack Society

The All-Russian Cossack Society (Russian: Всероссийское казачье общество, Latinized: Vserossiyskoye kazach'ye obshchestvo) is a government sponsored Cossack advocacy organization in the Russian Federation. It is responsible for the coordination of activities between the 12 registered Cossack hosts. In particular, it works in the spheres of patriotic education and the continuing historical Cossack customs and traditions. Both registered and non-registered Cossack organizations can be part of the society. It is headed by the Society Ataman, Cossack General Nikolai Doluda.
Cossack ranks from yesaul and above are appointed by a Presidential Envoy, the rank of a Cossack general by no less than the President of the Russian Federation. All other ranks are promoted by their respective troop commandants.

## Registered Cossacks in military service

Cossack units helped in the Russian operations in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria.

## 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia

Cossacks also took an active role in the 2008 Russian–Georgian war during which no one could explain what role the Cossacks played in the campaign, as Russian soldiers were distinguished between regular servicemen and Cossacks.

## Russo-Ukrainian War
### 2014

Various Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation were identified operating in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea in 2014 during the Russo-Ukrainian War with Kuban Cossacks helping occupy the Crimea and Don Cossacks invading the Donbas. Cossack units were organized communities not as spontaneous volunteers.

### 2022

Registered Cossacks are heavily involved in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine where they are part of 18 ‘Cossack’ BARS (Combat Reserve Forces) battalions taking part in the invasion. Per Ataman Nikolai Doluda, head of the All-Russian Cossack Society,"There are three battalions each from the Kuban and Terek hosts, two from Don, one from Orenburg, a Orenburg-Volga combined battalion, one from the Ussuriskiy host, one from the Zabaykalsky host, and one from the union of “Cossack” warriors from abroad" Various sources number Registered Cossacks in the warzone to from 15,000 to 25,000.

## Organizations
### Cossack hosts

The Russian Federation has twelve Cossack hosts officially recognized by the federal government; these being the Don, Kuban, Terek, Orenburg, Volga, Siberian, Yenisei, Zabaykalsky, Irkutsk, and Far Eastern; all formed in the 1990's. The Central Cossack host, including Moscow, was created in 2007 while the Black Sea Cossack host, including the Crimea, was added in 2015. These officially recognized hosts may or may not be the same as the historical hosts.
| Host name | Headquarters | Legislation |
| Volga Cossack Host (Волжское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Samara 53°11′09″N 50°06′45″E﻿ / ﻿53.185963°N 50.112488°E﻿ / 53.185963; 50.112488 (www.kazak-volga.ru) – Official site of the troops | Order of the President of the Russian Federation dated June 11, 1996 № 308-p |
| Siberian Cossack Host (Сибирское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Omsk 55°00′34″N 73°20′19″E﻿ / ﻿55.009514°N 73.338696°E﻿ / 55.009514; 73.338696 (www.skv-vko.narod.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 12 February 1997 number 95 |
| Trans-Baikal Cossack Host (Забайкальское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Chita 52°01′42″N 113°30′30″E﻿ / ﻿52.028436°N 113.508326°E﻿ / 52.028436; 113.508326 Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 12 February 1997 number 96 |
| Terek Cossack Host (Терское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Stavropol 45°03′22″N 41°59′54″E﻿ / ﻿45.056201°N 41.998221°E﻿ / 45.056201; 41.998221 (www.terkv.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 12 February 1997 number 97 |
| Ussuri Cossack Host (Уссурийское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Vladivostok 43°06′56″N 131°52′59″E﻿ / ﻿43.115622°N 131.883164°E﻿ / 43.115622; 131.883164 (www.kazaki-ukv.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated June 17, 1997 № 611 |
| Don Cossack Host (Всевеликое войско Донское) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Novocherkassk 47°25′16″N 40°05′37″E﻿ / ﻿47.421028°N 40.093579°E﻿ / 47.421028; 40.093579 (www.russiancossacks.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated June 17, 1997 № 612 |
| Yenisei Cossacks Host (Енисейское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Krasnoyarsk 56°02′50″N 92°56′18″E﻿ / ﻿56.047296°N 92.93824°E﻿ / 56.047296; 92.93824 (www.eniseycossacks.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated June 17, 1997 № 613 |
| Orenburg Cossack Host (Оренбургское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Orenburg 51°47′08″N 55°04′40″E﻿ / ﻿51.785581°N 55.077874°E﻿ / 51.785581; 55.077874 (www.ataman-ovko.ru) – Official site of the troops | Presidential Decree Rossiyskoy federations from 29 March 1998 goda № 308 |
| Kuban Cossack Host (Кубанское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Krasnodar 45°01′03″N 38°57′58″E﻿ / ﻿45.017486°N 38.966027°E﻿ / 45.017486; 38.966027 (www.slavakubani.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on April 24, 1998 № 448 |
| Irkutsk Cossack Host (Иркутское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Irkutsk 52°17′25″N 104°16′50″E﻿ / ﻿52.290219°N 104.280433°E﻿ / 52.290219; 104.280433 (www.irkv.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated May 4, 1998 № 489 |
| Central Cossack Host (Центральное казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Moscow 55°44′06″N 37°24′36″E﻿ / ﻿55.734933°N 37.409894°E﻿ / 55.734933; 37.409894 (www.ckwrf.ru) – Official site of the troops | Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on May 3, 2007 № 574 |
| Black Sea Cossack Host (Черноморское казачье войско) | The main headquarters is located in the city of Simferopol (www.vko-chkv.ru) – Official site of the troops | 2021 |
Note that under the new uniform regulations the open collar tunic, worn with a shirt and tie, has been replaced by a tunic with a standing collar.

### Independent Districts

In addition to the military Cossack Hosts, there are other registered societies which are active auxiliaries:
Current
* Separate Northwest Cossack District (Territory of activity - Northwestern Federal District). Headquarters - St. Petersburg;
* District Cossack society "Baltic separate Cossack District - Baltic Cossack Union" (Territory of activity - the Kaliningrad region). Headquarters - Kaliningrad;
Former
* District Cossack society "Sevastopol Cossack District '(Territory of activity - Sevastopol). Headquarters - Sevastopol.
* Crimean Cossack District Society "Crimean Cossack troops" (Territory of activity, Republic of Crimea),. Headquarters - Simferopol.
Both of the above last two were integrated into the Black Sea Cossack host in 2015.

## Cossack ranks and insignia
### Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation vte | | | | | | | Казáчий генéрал Kazáchiy generál | Казáчий генéрал Kazáchiy generál | | | Казáчий полкóвник Kazáchiy polkóvnik | Казáчий полкóвник Kazáchiy polkóvnik | Войсковóй старшинá Vojskovói starshiná | Войсковóй старшинá Vojskovói starshiná | Есаýл Yesaúl | Есаýл Yesaúl | Подъесаýл Podyesaúl | Подъесаýл Podyesaúl | Сóтник Sótnik | Сóтник Sótnik | Хорýнжий Khorúnzhyi | Хорýнжий Khorúnzhyi | Подхорýнжий Podkhorúnzhiy | Подхорýнжий Podkhorúnzhiy |
| Field uniform | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Army equivalent | | | | | | | Генера́л-лейтена́нт Generál-leytenánt | Генера́л-лейтена́нт Generál-leytenánt | | | Полко́вник Polkóvnik | Полко́вник Polkóvnik | Подполко́вник Podpolkóvnik | Подполко́вник Podpolkóvnik | Майо́р Majór | Майо́р Majór | Kапита́н Kapitán | Kапита́н Kapitán | Старший лейтена́нт Stárshiy leytenánt | Старший лейтена́нт Stárshiy leytenánt | Лейтенант Leytenant | Лейтенант Leytenant | Mла́дший лейтена́нт Mládshiy leytenánt | Mла́дший лейтена́нт Mládshiy leytenánt |
| Rank group | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |

### Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation vte | Стáрший вáхмистр Stárshiy váhmistr | Стáрший вáхмистр Stárshiy váhmistr | Стáрший вáхмистр Stárshiy váhmistr | Вáхмистр Váhmistr | Вáхмистр Váhmistr | Вáхмистр Váhmistr | Млáдший вáхмистр Mládshiy váhmistr | Млáдший вáхмистр Mládshiy váhmistr | Стáрший урядник Stárshiy Uryádnik | Стáрший урядник Stárshiy Uryádnik | Урядник Uryádnik | Урядник Uryádnik | Урядник Uryádnik | Урядник Uryádnik | Урядник Uryádnik | Урядник Uryádnik | Млáдший урядник Mládshiy Uryádnik | Млáдший урядник Mládshiy Uryádnik | Млáдший урядник Mládshiy Uryádnik | Млáдший урядник Mládshiy Uryádnik | Млáдший урядник Mládshiy Uryádnik | Млáдший урядник Mládshiy Uryádnik | Прикáзный Prikáznyi | Прикáзный Prikáznyi | Прикáзный Prikáznyi | Прикáзный Prikáznyi | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák | Казáк Kazák |
| Field uniform | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Army equivalent | Ста́рший пра́порщик Stárshiy práporshchik | Ста́рший пра́порщик Stárshiy práporshchik | Ста́рший пра́порщик Stárshiy práporshchik | Пра́порщик Práporshchyk | Пра́порщик Práporshchyk | Пра́порщик Práporshchyk | Старшина́ Starshyná | Старшина́ Starshyná | Ста́рший сержа́нт Stárshiy serzhánt | Ста́рший сержа́нт Stárshiy serzhánt | Сержа́нт Serzhánt | Сержа́нт Serzhánt | Сержа́нт Serzhánt | Сержа́нт Serzhánt | Сержа́нт Serzhánt | Сержа́нт Serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт Mládshiy serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт Mládshiy serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт Mládshiy serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт Mládshiy serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт Mládshiy serzhánt | Мла́дший сержа́нт Mládshiy serzhánt | Ефре́йтор Efréĭtor | Ефре́йтор Efréĭtor | Ефре́йтор Efréĭtor | Ефре́йтор Efréĭtor | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy | Рядово́й Ryadovóy |
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |