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| Free Cossacks | |
|---|---|
 1st Congress of Free Cossacks (Chyhyryn, October 1917) | |
| Active | 1917–1918 |
| Country | Ukraine |
| Allegiance | Ukrainian People's Republic |
| Branch | Free Cossacks |
| Type | Corps, territorial army |
| Role | infantry, law enforcement |
| Size | ~3,000 (18 May 1917) 60,000 (at the 1st Congress of Free Cossacks) |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Semen Hryzlo,Pavlo Skoropadsky[1] |
| Part ofa series on |
| Cossacks |
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| Cossack hosts |
| Other Cossack groups |
| History |
| Notable Cossacks |
| Cossack terms |
| Cossack folklore |
Free Cossacks (Ukrainian:Вільне козацтво) wereUkrainian Cossacks that were organized as volunteer militia units in the spring of 1917 in theUkrainian People's Republic. The Free Cossacks are seen as precursors of the modern Ukrainian national law enforcement organizations such as theNational Guard of Ukraine or theInternal Troops of Ukraine.
The primary purpose of those militia formations was to provide security and civil order for the local population. The consolidation process of various smaller units started sometime in April near the town ofZvenyhorodka,Kiev Governorate during the local assembly of the Free Cossacks which created the Zvenyhorodka Kosh (battalion). The assembly electedSemen Hryzlo theKosh Otaman, who became the otaman of Kalnyboloto Kurin (company). Under this title, he was delegated to the2nd All-Ukrainian Military Congress in Kiev in June 1917.
Hryzlo was also one of the organizers of the 1st All-Ukrainian Congress of the Free Cossacks that took place on October 3, 1917, in the former Cossack capital ofChyhyryn. The congress elected the Hetman of All Ukraine, who became GeneralPavlo Skoropadskyi. Hryzlo was elected as the GeneralYesaul.
The Free Cossacks units distinguished themselves during theUkrainian–Soviet War (particularly from December 1917 to April 1918) and were disbanded around May and June 1918. In January-April 1918 the Ukrainian government tried to create the Free Registered Cossack Troops for county security, but after the April coup-d'etat led byPavlo Skoropadsky all Free Cossacks formations were officially dissolved.
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