“Theatrical” ultimatum of ataman

By Vestnik Kavkaza

Nobody knew how to compose an ultimatum, and Timur asked his uncle about it. He explained that each country wrote an ultimatum like it wanted… Arkady Gaidar, “Timur and his squad”

The central mass media and Moscow experts are often and fairly criticized for their lack of attention to regional problems. Often the information coming from regions is of interest to Moscow. However, the story which happened six weeks ago at the session of the Tersk Military Cossack Society (TMCS) surprised even experienced observers.

The ataman of TMCS Sergey Klimenko suggested to the Cossacks that they should send a letter of complaint on regional and district authorities to President Putin. The letter stressed that the addressee was Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the RF. Even though the letter contains requests (10 of them), it seems to be an ultimatum. For example, Klimenko thinks that the Cossacks should demand land from President on the territory of the NCFD (no less than 100,000 ha) for their loyalty: “for providing life activity of the troop”; the state packet of Kavminkurortresursy (The Resort Resources of Kavkazsky Mineralny Vody); quotes for fishing in the Caspian Sea; and producing and selling alcohol products. The alcohol topic was so important for the ataman that he decided to demand the state unitary enterprise – Kizlyar Cognac Factory – from President.

The nonsensical demands have been already commented on by greedy and more reasonable Cossacks who say that there is no sense in presenting such speculative ideas to President. The vice-governor, the chairman of the government of the Stavropol Territory, Ivan Kovalyev, tried to smooth the situation and addressed to the Tersk Cossacks: “How did it happen that Cossack flags were shivering in the dirty information flow? Everybody has his own answer. Of course there are mean people who try to convince Cossacks that sources of all problems are beyond the troop; that the authorities of regions or the NCFD or the whole country are guilty because they don’t give enough financial resources to the military command…”

Such a tough reaction of the Stavropol prime-minister is explainable, considering the fact that the position of the Cossacks influences the development of not only Stavropol, but also the whole region. Obviously, the authorities see problems of the Cossacks, and consider them a support. At the same time, “defenders” of Cossacks demand money, property, and power, trying to split the Cossacks and the authorities. Fortunately, the Cossacks are reasonable people and understand the reality.