Krautsevich: Cossacks Are Russia’s “Fifth Column”

The Cossacks does not have historic roots in Belarus, and “Ulakhovich’s gang” should be disbanded as soon as possible.

It was said by Aliaksandr Krautsevich, Doctor of Historical Sciences, in his interview to Radio Svaboda.

“So-called Cossack “chorągiews” (military units) existed at magnates’ courts, for example. There were a royal guards Cossack chorągiew, and a grand duke’s chorągiew. But this phenomenon does not have historical roots in the form as it is presented by Ulakhovich’s gang. In general, the historical stereotype of a Cossack is extremely negative. Even our Ukrainian brothers, Ukrainian Cossacks, which were fighting for their independence in the 17th century, were invaders in Belarus – this page of our history should not be concealed. Cossacks were killing us, robbing and burning our towns. And the notion “Cossack” itself is a negative term, as soon as Belarusian historical consciousness is concerned,” – the historian underlines.

And the activities of the so-called “Cossacks” of the modern time should be viewed as a threat to the independent Belarus, Krautsevich believes.

“Speaking about Ulakhovich’s group of Cossacks, it is a purely Russia’s “fifth column”. I believe that they should not be granted a status of a territorial forces unit, but they must be disbanded as soon as possible, as they are the people who are going help Russia to annex us,” – the historian said.

Earlier the website informed that on February 6 at an extraordinary “Cossack assembly” of the public association “Belarusian Cossacks”, headed by the “ex-candidate for presidency” Mikalai Ulakhovich, Cossacks addressed Aliaksandr Lukashenka with a request to give them a permission to become a unit of the territorial forces of Belarus.

It was stated that the main statutory goal of the association is “to revive a Cossack host in Belarus on the basis of Orthodox faith, patriotism, a service to the Fatherland and devotion to Lukashenka.”