The strongest version of this narrative presents a systematic Russian effort to co-opt Cossack identity as a tool of cultural and political control in occupied Ukraine. The article effectively documents the institutional integration of Cossack groups into security, education, and civil society, supported by the FADN and other Russian bodies. The focus on youth indoctrination—through cadet corps, educational programs, and patriotic events—highlights a long-term strategy to reshape generational id...