Pro-Government Militias
Crimean Cossacks (Ukraine)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 502 |
| Country: | Ukraine |
| Date formed: | March 26, 2006 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | The Crimean Cossacks formed as a group in 1992 but were active for the Crimean government during the conflict with Ukraine in 1994. The first evidence for the group being pro-government is from 2006. |
| Date dissolved: | Feb. 22, 2014 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The group is coded as terminated on the day Yanukovich lost power in 2014. The following government was not pro-Russian and anti-government actions by the Crimean Cossacks are reported. |
| Termination Type(s): | change in government |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | yes |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | political party; sub-national government |
| If link to party, name of party: | Party of the Regions |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | no information |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): | Foreign PGM (Russian Cossacks) |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; religious |
| Primary Membership: | ethnic |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Crimea, Slovyansk |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | ethnic group; religious group |
| Purpose(s): | protect property and investment; intimidation of ethnic/religious groups |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | Crimean Tatars (Ukraine) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | given |
| Ethnic Membership: | Russians (Ukraine) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | Crimean Tatars (Ukraine) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | given |
Other Information
| Other Information: | Several Cossacks were elected as MPs in Crimea or local councillors in 2006. Crimean Cossacks are committed to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate. There were close ties to Russian Cossacks and some Cossacks became part of their troops. Members of the group also protested against NATO cooperation under Yanukovytch. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The PGM is a pro-Russian vigilante group, which was intended to participate in the conflict in Crimea. Other tasks were police-related and included patrolling. The group was involved in raids, land disputes with Crimean Tartars and operated training camps. It was used by regional authorities to protect property. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The group generally exhibited hostile behaviour towards Crimean Tartars. There is a reported instance of the PGM seizing products from vendors. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | Based on the group’s commitment to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate and a radical Christian orientation (as well as self-proclaimed defence against Muslims), there may have been religious reasons for joining. Hostile attitudes and action towards Crimean Tartars suggest that ethnic loyalties could also have been an incentive to become a member. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The group had its own training camps and cooperated sessions with the Russian Cossacks in training sessions, however, there is no mention of a specific government link. The PGM was legally allowed to carry firearms. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | Officially, the group is registered as a cultural NGO and had close ties to the Russian Cossacks. The PGM also cooperated with the police. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.