“Colonized” another interesting word. A significant part of Ukraine history is the Cossack culture. Back to AI:
“AI Overview
* Cossacks were semi-nomadic, East Slavic, and Eastern Christian people who emerged in the steppes of Ukraine and Southern Russia in the 15th century. Their history is defined by a blend of military service, frontier expansion, and the struggle to maintain their democratic traditions against the encroachment of empires. This unique background shaped a distinctive culture rooted in martial skill, self-reliance, and communal independence.
History
* Origins: The Cossack identity developed in the “Wild Fields,” a sparsely populated steppe region north of the Black Sea and south of Muscovy and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They were formed by runaway peasants and other free-spirited individuals who sought to escape serfdom. The Turkic word for “free man” is kazak, the origin of the term “Cossack”.
* Military role: The Russian and Polish-Lithuanian empires hired the Cossacks as military mercenaries and border guards in exchange for special privileges and a degree of self-rule. The Cossack hosts became crucial in defending the frontiers against Tatar raids and in the Russian expansion into Siberia.
Ukrainian Cossacks: The Zaporozhian Cossacks, located on the lower Dnieper River, were instrumental in shaping Ukrainian identity. Under Bohdan Khmelnytsky, they established the semi-autonomous Cossack Hetmanate in the mid-17th century, but this later came under Russian control. The Ukrainian Cossacks’ legacy of fighting for independence remains a powerful national symbol.
* Russian Cossacks: Russian Cossack hosts, like the Don Cossacks, were also initially independent communities. However, as the Russian Empire grew, it gradually subsumed the hosts, trading autonomy for an official, privileged military class status.
* Imperial suppression and revival: Cossack rebellions in the 17th and 18th centuries—including those led by Stepan Razin and Yemelyan Pugachev—protested the loss of traditional liberties. These uprisings were brutally suppressed, and the hosts were fully integrated into the empire. The Bolsheviks later engaged in “decossackization” to eliminate the Cossacks as a social and military class. Their traditions saw a revival after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Culture
* Martial tradition: Cossack culture is intrinsically linked to military life and prowess. They developed excellent cavalry tactics and were adept with weapons like the saber (shashka) and spear. This martial culture is romanticized in folk songs, art, and literature.
* Social values: Courage, brotherhood, and independence are core Cossack values. Loyalty was to the Cossack community first, though later it was also sworn to the Tsar.
* Communal living: Traditionally, Cossacks lived in military-style brotherhoods called voiska (hosts), which were organized into settlements called stanitsas. In early Cossack communities, all spoils from raids were shared equally.
* Folklore and aesthetics: The culture is rich with folklore, epic poems (dumas), and traditional dances like the hopak. Iconic Cossack aesthetics include shaved heads with a long lock of hair (oseledets) and distinctive mustaches, though dress varied among groups.
Democratic aspects
* General assembly: The highest authority in early Cossack society was a general assembly known as the Rada (in Ukraine) or Krug (in Russia). All members of the community had the right to participate in these direct-democracy councils.
* Elected leadership: Cossack leaders, known as atamans or hetmans, were elected by the assembly. While a leader could hold autocratic power during wartime, he could also be deposed by a vote during peacetime. Voting was typically conducted by a show of hands and shouting “Lyubo!” (”It pleases us!”) or “Neyubo!” (”It doesn’t please us!”).
* Communal ownership: Cossack society was built on egalitarian principles, with communal landownership replacing the system of serfdom prevalent in neighboring empires. The Rada handled economic functions like the distribution of land for fishing and agriculture.
* Limitations: Despite these democratic ideals, the reality of Cossack life was not fully egalitarian. Women played a largely passive role in public life, and the justice system could be harsh, with punishments like public whippings. As hosts were absorbed into the Russian Empire, the Cossack elite often aligned with the tsarist system to secure privileges, leading to internal divisions and the eventual suppression of traditional Cossack liberties.”
The Cossacks developed from a mixture of races and cultures from people who had escaped to a wild area for freedom and independence. Thus they overcame prejudices and developed a relatively democratic system that worked for them. They developed a warlike culture as they settled on rich agricultural lands with other important resources. Effective defense was imperative to defend and hold such desirable ground. With such a history it is no wonder they are fighting so hard to prevent Russian slavery in it’s present form, which provides strong motivation to maintain that freedom and independence.