Marat Kazakov, Stavropol. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The Big Circle of the Terek Military Cossack Society (TMCS) will take place on April 26th. A long-expected event should happen there which will mark the end of a crisis among Terek Cossacks – a new ataman will be elected. See part 1 The interregnum period comes to an end among Terek Cossacks - 1
The former ataman Sergei Klimenko left the army in crank conditions. Immediately “savers” of Terek Cossacks appeared, who lived up their life and often forgot about them. I mean the non-registered union of the Terek Cossack Army headed by Mikhail Inkavtsov and the social union of the Caucasus Cossack Line headed by Yuri Churekov. One more figure is the head of various organizations and movements, Sergei Popov, the main of them is the Russian Unity of the Caucasus (REKA), even though he is not a Cossack.
Views by registered Cossacks were used by them originally – like “a neighbor’s house is burning, try to steal as much as possible.” In our case they tried to lure as much registered Cossacks as possible. Using tragic events in Stavropol in the end of the last year and the beginning of 2014, when a terrorist attack happened in Pyatigorsk and several residents of the Krai were violently killed, leaders of non-registered Cossacks together with Popov began to build an active information campaign. The main idea of it was that non-registered Cossacks are the only defenders of the Russian population in the South of Russia. On January 11th a council of atamans of the Terek Cossack Army took place in Nalchik. It addressed the Cossacks of the South of Russia and other Cossack armies to support its struggle against terrorism. A seemingly reasonable idea was suggested: the end of internal conflicts and establishing of operational administration and cooperation.
In a month, on February 16th, the Big Circle of the Terek Cossack Army took place in Vladizavkaz. More precise goals were specified there: uniting the Terek Cossacks around the TCA and its own security system, as the state security system is thought to fail. Promotion of the goals was accompanied by strict criticism toward the TMCS administration and invitations of registered Cossacks to join social Cossacks. At the same time it was emphasized that if the TMCS had been still headed by Klimenko, the non-registered Cossacks would have definitely found common grounds with him.
What were goals of the non-registered Cossacks and Popov? They seemed to be good – to unite the Cossacks and provide security of citizens, not all of them, but Cossacks only. How can the goals be achieved? There are two options: to agree on cooperation with the TMCS or to try to weaken it. The second option seemed to be more acceptable for the non-registered Cossacks, while the target audience was supporters of the former ataman Sergei Klimenko.
Continuation of the chosen tactics was constant strict criticism of every step of the registered Cossacks’ leaders and powerful promotion of their model of uniting the Cossack Army. However, beautiful words in the mass media demanded confirmation in the reality and demonstration of certain capacities. That’s why the Big Circle of the TCA was held in Vladikavkaz on February 16th.
To be continued
