KRASNODAR, August 26. /TASS/. Voluntary Cossack units fulfilling combat missions in Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine have witnessed cases of Ukrainian troops abandoning wounded and dead foreign mercenaries on the battlefield upon their retreat, Ataman (Head) of the All-Russian Cossack Society Nikolai Doluda told TASS on Friday.
The Cossack chief spoke at a guest meeting of the standing commission for interaction with the media operating under the Russian Presidential Council for Cossack Affairs. The meeting kicked off in Krasnodar on August 25 to discuss the media coverage of Cossacks’ activity in Russia, the issues of popularizing Cossack traditions among the youth and Cossacks’ participation in the special military operation in Ukraine.
"They [the Cossacks] are finding a great number of dead foreign mercenaries with documents. Our Cossacks have confirmed that the Ukrainian armed forces are abandoning the bodies of dead foreign mercenaries on the battlefield. When the Ukrainian troops start retreating, they forget about both the wounded and the dead and then our guys assist in transferring the corpses to specially authorized agencies," Doluda explained.
As was reported earlier, nine voluntary Cossack units of the All-Russian Cossack Society are taking part in Russia’s special military operation on Ukrainian territory. Cossacks are also operating as part of the people’s militia units of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Their numerical strength exceeds 6,500 fighters.
The guest meeting of the standing commission for interaction with the media of the Russian Presidential Council for Cossack Affairs has brought together members of Cossack military communities from various Russian regions. The two-day event is set to host workshops, master classes and a cultural program. There are a total of 12 Cossack military communities and two Cossack military districts in Russia.