By Vestnik Kavkaza
Historians often consider the Cossacks as an important factor in the formation of the Ukrainian nation and statehood. They say that the role of the Cossacks in the socio-political life of Ukraine is so great that notions of ‘Cossacks’ and ‘the country of Cossacks’ were used in the 16th-18th centuries before notions of ‘a Ukrainian’ and ‘Ukraine’ for defining the country and the nation. The Cossacks used to be a national symbol, a carrier of ethnicity, and defenders of national interests and religion. Recently, atamans of the Cossack troops of Ukraine addressed the Supreme Ataman of the Union of Cossack Forces in Russia and abroad, General Viktor Ratiyev, to help them to save Ukraine from ‘Nazi filth’: “Ukraine is suffering: the civil war, the clash of the Church, Banderovites’ attacks on Orthodox cathedrals. The Cossack forces of Ukraine are unable to resist Bandera’s supporters. We hope for help from the Russian Cossacks to save Orthodox Ukraine from the demonic government and reunite it.”
Ratiyev admits that the Cossacks are fighting in the DPR and LPR: “Novorossia is the former territory of the region of the Don Troops. I am a Don Cossack, I was born and raised on the Upper Don. Today’s situation is a real war that is very close to us. For example, my home region starts from my village and goes to the city of Lugansk. The distance is 150 kilometers. The distance from Mariupol to Taganrog is 130 kilometers. And when we open windows in the evening, we can hear the sound of shells dropping on the territory.
Therefore, nowadays local Cossacks are fighting in Novorossia. Those who were born and brought up in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. Moreover, they are citizens of Ukraine.”
Ratiyev also admits the fact that Russian Cossacks are present in Ukraine: “Are there Russian Cossacks? Yes, there are. But precious few in Donbas. We are not soldiers of the Russian army, we are Cossacks, just usual people. We are volunteers and want to help our brothers in Ukraine. Ukraine is an integral part of Russia, because Cossacks also live in Ukraine, who are a part of the Union of the Cossack Forces in Russia and abroad.”
