Most of those who present themselves in Russian-occupied Crimea today as Cossacks “have nothing in common” with the Cossacks of Ukrainian history, Vitaly Shcherbak of the University of Kyiv says. “They have a different mentality and views” than do real Cossacks and “view themselves as part of the Russian people,” something Cossacks don’t.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
OP-ED
Paul Goble: ‘Cossacks’ in Crimea are Russians under FSB control
Crimean Cossacks take part in a rally marking the fourth anniversary of an illegal Crimea voting to leave Ukraine and join the Russian state in central Simferopol on March 16, 2018.
