Ivan Bezugly: Stake on the Cossacks - the salvation of Russia

Ataman of the Taman branch of the Kuban Cossack army Ivan Bezugly told our correspondent about the life of the modern Cossacks and its role in the ongoing processes.

- Ivan Vasilyevich, what is the reason for the increased interest of the Russian authorities in recent years, both secular and ecclesiastical in the Cossacks?

- In all the centuries of the existence of the Russian State in those critical moments when the country was at the last line, during the great wars and internal troubles, she always turned to the Cossacks. So it was during the time of the Moscow kingdom, during the time of the Empire, and even under the Soviets.

As you know, with 1917, the Cossacks were destroyed as a people. But the Great Patriotic War began, and they were remembered again - to form Cossack regiments, divisions, corps from the waist. When in the times of the notorious restructuring the very existence of the country was in question, the Cossacks again became in demand. And they again rose from the ashes, keeping the country on the edge of the abyss with their callused hands.

It should be noted that the Cossacks were destroyed as a people capable of self-organization. So we self-organized, strengthened, and declared: “To be a Russian state!” On and stand.

Now in Russia again the situation is not easy. The president, in his online message, said that the situation is complex and it is not yet possible to change it for the better. He said this to the nation. And we are the color of the Russian nation, which can self-organize. And there is no one to turn to. The Russian people as a whole, to which we are respectful, unfortunately, today is not yet capable of what the Cossacks are capable of. And in this sense, the patriarch, the president, make the right choice.

- What is the difference between the traditional Cossack way of life and the way of Great Russian peasants, or, say, a city dweller?

- The way of life, orders, customs, traditions of the Cossacks, which we are reviving today and which we adhere to, form the basis of the life of the Cossacks. Although, of course, during the years of genocide and persecution, something was lost, but much has been saved. The Cossack community as a community of equal, free people has always been built on respect for each other, solidarity and support. Even in the years of my youth, it was impossible to walk along the stanitsa street past the old man, without greeting or bowing to him. Respect for the elder, respect for the woman, willingness to help the weak - all this is the basis of the Cossack mentality. And, of course, the realization that the Cossack is, above all, a warrior, a protector. It was on this basis that the education of Cossack youth was built earlier, build on it and now.

The theme of military service permeates all aspects of Cossack life - everything is subordinated to it. This is one of the differences. Another serious difference lies in the initiative of the Cossack, his willingness to take responsibility for himself and his loved ones. He does not wait for instructions from above, but he himself knows what needs to be done - a tendency towards order and organization in his blood. The Cossack way of life is special, stemming from the conditions of life and the tasks solved by the Cossacks. Cossack families raise, above all, the defenders of Orthodoxy and the Fatherland. Unfortunately, we do not observe this in other families.

- Ivan Vasilyevich, we know from storiesthat at the most critical moments of Russia the whole nation began to live according to this structure. So it was in Little Russia during the national liberation war under the leadership of Hetman Khmelnitsky, it was so in the Moscow kingdom in the Time of Troubles of the XVII century, when almost the whole nation turned into a Cossack, a warrior ...

- I will tell you that this is happening now - people are coming to us, to the Cossacks. And even the recent tragedy in the village of Kuschevskaya can serve as an example. Although, in connection with the incident, they are trying to blame the Cossacks, but it is obvious to everyone that this is shifting from a sore head to a healthy one, what to ask is, first of all, from the police, the prosecutor's office, the administration.

The media questioned: "Where were the Cossacks?". And the Cossacks were in their place and engaged in their Cossack affairs. It is also clear that if all the villagers, or at least most of them, were in Cossack society, then such a situation simply could not be. We do not allow anyone to offend our leaders, our brothers, and those who came to us for help. And the Cossacks were not touched there. On the other hand, if we proceed from the real situation that has developed in Kuschevka, the local community there did not have sufficient forces to cope with the crime that had grown together with the administration and law enforcement agencies alone - after all, there were deputies and police officers in the gang.

It is difficult to resist the state machine, only enough power to protect our own. But if the Cossack village was not only de jure, but also de facto, the situation would be different. Because the Cossack community is that form of self-organization and, if you like, self-defense, capable of truly resisting external challenges. People understood this, and now there is an influx into the Cossacks in Kushchevskaya and in other villages. And this is right, because, in my opinion, this is the only effective way to restore order in Russia.

The President said that both ancient and modern Russia is not possible without the Cossacks. And our governor Alexander Tkachev said that the revival of the Cossacks is a national idea of ​​the Kuban. And if we unite around this national idea, there will not be such events as in Kushchevskaya, we will be able to stop the shaft of corruption that has swept Russia and the Kuban

- In the Kuban, Cossack atamans have the status of civil servants, receive an appropriate salary. Some receive large-scale sponsorship. Is there a danger that the Cossacks will turn into another corrupt structure?

- Communicating with officials of all levels, I proudly say that the Cossacks can be blamed for the fact that they may not be literate enough, some of them like to drink too much, but we can not be accused of bribery or corruption. This is the situation in the Kuban, and, I think, in Russia as a whole. At the same time, I can say that I have certain concerns about this development.

But now, thank God, I don’t see a direct danger either in the Taman department or in the Kuban army as a whole. Atamans elected by the Cossacks are tribal Cossacks who are not sold, but serve for the Faith and Fatherland. Including those who entered into power structures today. We monitor, observe, draw conclusions - all of these are real Cossacks.

In the context of your question about the Cossacks and the authorities, I would like to specifically say about the ataman of the Kuban army. I am the oldest chieftain in the Kuban. The one who would have been in this position longer than me is not here. And when they elected Nikolai Aleksandrovich Daluda, he, as you know, was the vice-governor of the region. And many chieftains rushed in a big way into the arms of the authorities. I initially treated this election with caution, because the man came from the power structures, and it was not clear to me where he would lead the army. If the movement along the Cossack road had ceased, then for me it would be not only a terrible disappointment, but also the collapse of everything that we managed to achieve during the years of hard hard work. But, looking closely, watching the work of the army ataman, I came to the conclusion that this is the person who needs Kuban today. Working with him, I see that he is engaged in the Cossacks from the heart, and not just fulfilling the task set, as some people assert.

Similarly, the remaining chieftains of the army. Someone more talented as a leader, someone more efficient, someone better educated, but all serve the benefit of the Cossacks. There are societies where chieftains are the heads of local administrations. In the event that these are people committed to the Cossack cause, this does not cause concern. Moreover, this can only be welcomed, since the Cossacks should lead the Cossack region self-governing bodies, and we are striving for this. It should also be noted that any ataman is elected and appointed by the Cossacks, and in one way or another he is forced to reckon with this circumstance.

- But many people, including the Cossacks themselves, are worried about this. Does it not happen that the real Cossack service is being replaced now? That is, the Cossacks have funds from the state, but their direct duties — not all, are engaged in the protection of borders, security, and wired Motherland. And what will happen if the state stops subsidizing the Cossacks?

- When the Cossacks only began to revive, all this was happening on enthusiasm, the situation was more unambiguous and strong. However, after we began to pay money for the civil service (although, to be truly frank, what is there can in no way be seriously called public service). What we are doing today - we are involved in the protection of public order, border security, in the work of the Emergencies Ministry, we cut down cannabis bushes, and we receive appropriate cash handouts for this — based on the potential of the Cossacks, no service, but rather an occupation for pensioners.

And that worries me. Because if tomorrow the funding stops, the number of troops will change. Those Cossacks, who came for stripes, boots, for something else, go away, we will be much smaller. But this is not so bad, because they will remain those for whom the Cossacks are self-valuable.

I am an old man, 20 was given to the Cossack cause of not the worst years of my life, and I was less interested in some promises, for me the interests of the Cossack people and the strengthening of the Russian State are important.

- There are a lot of Russian people in Russia who, not being ethnic Cossacks, nevertheless, not only sympathize with the Cossack ideas, but also would like to join the ranks of the Cossack people. Do they have such an opportunity?

- Yes, there is such an opportunity. I often explain to the Cossacks and non-Kazaks that the Cossacks are a special people, a people of strong spirit. Today, it is very difficult for our people, who have risen from the ashes, are reviving their lifestyle and traditions. When Great Russians or Little Russians come to us, we take them into our community, and treat them with care, because we understand that it is even harder for them.

Because in order to shoulder non-kazak, Russian, Cossack burden, you need to be a very strong person. It can only be carried, as I said, strong in spirit. When Russian people come to us and become with us in one system, it makes me happy. I am sure that over time they will become real Cossacks, will know all our customs, and will be ready at the first call to stand up for the Faith and Fatherland. For all those years that I am the chieftain, there has never been a case that someone Cossacks that we sent to the Army, someone deserted, or dishonestly performed his duties. And this is despite all that is happening now in the Army. Because military service, fulfillment of one’s duty is at the core of the Cossack mentality.

And I hope that the youth that today is not in the Cossacks, if they come to us, they will become like us, will become real warriors. And it is in the interests of the state and society.

- In addition to the Cossack societies, which are in the state registry, there are also social Cossack organizations. Many feared that the creation of a state register would lead to a split in the Cossack environment, to the opposition of “social activists” and “registry”. Have these predictions come true?

- In the Taman department I have never divided Cossacks into whites and reds, into registered and public, into left and right. Not so many Cossacks in the Kuban and in Russia, so that they also share. I know that these views are shared by Nikolai Aleksadrovich Dolud, who, having become a military ataman, called us to work closely with all social organizations of the Cossacks in the interests of solving our common tasks.

Unfortunately, not everywhere in Russia adhere to such views. I talked to public chieftains from other regions, who told me that the registry chieftains flatly refused to interact with them and maintain any kind of contact. This is absolutely wrong.

But it should be noted that the absolute majority of the Cossacks in the Kuban are part of the Kuban Cossack army. We have complete mutual understanding and close contacts with those who are members of public organizations. Unfortunately, not everywhere in Russia.

Those who are at war with each other should understand that this enmity and division are in the interests of the enemies of Russia and the Cossacks, who act according to the principle of "divide and rule".

- Relations with many Muslim peoples of the North Caucasus are in deep crisis. Can the Cossacks contribute to their normalization and harmonization?

- Only Cossacks can normalize these relations. When the wars began in the Caucasus, including in Chechnya, in a conversation in Moscow with the Secretary of the Security Council (then it was Bordyuzha), I said that the Russian leadership did not know the Caucasus. Russian politicians, military leaders, heads of special services need to learn the history of Caucasian wars.

Only the Cossacks could live in peace and harmony with the peoples of the Caucasus. And if it was necessary to correct someone, someone to suggest the correct behavior, they always did it successfully, and with minimal human and material costs. If now it would have been relied on the Cossacks, the Caucasus has long enjoyed peace and tranquility. There would be no Nord-Ost or Beslan. And about situations similar to what happened in Kandopoga and Zelenokumsk, there could be no question. Only with the support of the Cossacks can we bring order to the Caucasus.

- What do you think the role of the Cossacks in the life of modern Russia?

- We are told that everything is in order in the country today, that it is on the rise, that the situation is stabilizing, and that state power is being strengthened. But, unfortunately, it is not, it all just seems. The center already has little control. The floor of Russia has burned down - no one can do anything, the floor of Russia is sinking - no one can do anything. The country is overwhelmed by ethnic conflicts, no one can do anything.

Today, Russia is in a very difficult situation - and in the Caucasus, including. And if the country's leadership rests on the Cossacks, then I am convinced that there will be order in Russia, and everyone will live well and comfortably.

The Russian people are relaxed, he believes that "we are many, and we are the masters." But it is time for the Russian people to wake up - the situation in the country is quite different - we are becoming less and less - in cities, in villages, and in villages. And when this sad fact will be realized, the situation will change for the better. In the meantime, Russian people are drinking too much, families are falling apart, Russians are not participating in the government of the state, districts, villages, and oblasts. It is not those who should lead us who come to power.

And in the current situation, the Cossacks, as the main self-organizing force, can work together with the Russian people, with other peoples of Russia, to advance the people in power to the interests of the country. The Russian people need to understand the situation and get down to business. And the Cossacks with their colossal experience of self-organization and self-government can be an example of this.