More than 100 volunteers from the Kuban Cossack Army joined the NVO, with a formal send‑off ceremony held on February 7 to mark their arrival. In total, since the start of the special operation in Ukraine, more than four thousand Cossacks have enlisted. This figure was shared by Alexander Vlasov, a Kuban Cossack Army officer and deputy governor of Krasnodar Territory, who noted that all volunteers underwent a month of comprehensive training across multiple disciplines and were fully equipped before deployment.
Vlasov added that a substantial number of these volunteers have received regional and state honors for acts of bravery, heroism, and courage in the line of duty.
The Kuban Cossack Army conducts its training at the Kuban Special Training Center. In Maykop and Samara, regional branches have already been established, with plans announced to open additional centers across other regions of the Federation to broaden the training network.
On October 10, missile strikes were launched against Ukraine’s infrastructure by the Russian Armed Forces. President Vladimir Putin described the action as a response to what he characterized as terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime, including the attack on the Crimean Bridge.
Currently, the Russian Federation is conducting a special military operation in Ukraine, a move announced by President Putin on February 24. The stated objective of the operation is to demilitarize Ukraine and to install authorities aligned with Moscow.
The decision to initiate the operation triggered new sanctions from the United States and its allies, reinforcing the broader economic and political measures accompanying the conflict.
Observers note that the deployment of Cossack volunteers, the expansion of training infrastructure, and the ongoing military actions are part of a broader strategy to mobilize regional forces and sustain long-term operations. The situation remains fluid, with regional authorities emphasizing readiness and the provision of resources to volunteers and units operating in the area.