Some aspects of training for military service among the Cossack youth in the Kuban Cossack army in the 60-70s of the XIX century

This article examines the historical and legal aspects of both general and specialized training for military service among the Cossack youth in the Kuban Cossack Army (hereinafter referred to as KCA) from the late 1860s to the early 1880s of the XIX century. This period represents a crucial foundation for organizing combat training for Cossacks engaged in active military duty. Significant measures undertaken to promote education and literacy among Cossacks of all ages, and particularly among the youth, were enacted during the so-called “Great Reforms” of the military administration, the Kuban region, regiment commanders, and stanitsa communities. These efforts objectively established a fundamental basis for the qualitative augmentation and enhancement of the combat capabilities of the second-largest irregular military formation in the Russian Empire. The author, drawing upon current legislation, documents, and various sources, substantiates the argument that the outcomes of state reforms in the latter half of the XIX century (primarily in the field of education) had a pronounced impact on the rise of educational standards among Cossack youth. Furthermore, the achievements in this regard are posited to have had a significant reflection on the augmentation of the military potential of the army.