Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation

The Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation, also referred to as neo-Cossacks, 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.

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
They 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.

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.

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 Former Both of the above last two were integrated into the Black Sea Cossack host in 2015.
 * 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;
 * 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.

Cossack ranks and insignia
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
 * Officers

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
 * Other ranks