Mikhail Vederinkov, the presidential plenipotentiary for the North Caucasus Federal District, told a meeting of senior Cossack officials that they must clear any candidates for the position of ataman (chieftain) with him in advance or face charges that they are agents of the US Department of State (Gorodskoitelegraf.ru, April 14). Vederinkov said that “we have information” about Cossack-Washington links and will use it unless he is obeyed. This charge has infuriated the Cossacks and threatens to undermine their cooperation with the state and, thus, the Russian presence in the North Caucasus (Pan.ru, April 15).
If Vederinkov really had evidence of illegal …read more
Source: The Jamestown Foundation