Cossacks as a Social Phenomenon

The article presents a brief overview of the Russian studies on the modern Cossacks and Cossack societies, their social status and position in the structure of Russian society. The interpretation of the phenomenon of the Cossacks in the scientific literature and its attribution to a particular category is considered. The study results show that most often the Cossacks are considered an ethnosocial group with its own culture, traditions and values.