Russia's historic ethnic militia — the Cossacks — have been a small but curious part of the highly visible World Cup security force during these past five weeks of matches, patrolling the streets of the host towns.The morality vigilantes are playing an increasingly prominent role in Vladimir Putin's conservative Russia, encouraged by the Kremlin over the past two years. They've stirred public outrage using their orthodox stance to justify whipping protesters, and they're being linked to combat in Syria and Ukraine.The massive World Cup security operation will cost about $15 billion, in an economy already strained by international sanctions, but with more than 2 million fans visiting, and an estimated 3 billion watching on TV, it’s been a once-in-a-generation chance at Russian self-promotion, giving the Cossacks a huge platform for exhibiting their culture and projecting Putin's strongman image.VICE News joined the Cossacks on patrol before a World Cup game to see what their continued role in Russian public life says about Putin’s Russia.For Cossack artist Maxim Ilinov, the World Cup has been a chance to show the world a softer side to his people and change the sterotypes. He was chosen to exhibit his latest work to the thousands of supporters visiting his hometown of Rostov-on-Don, a Cossack capital and the site of several World Cup matches.“For some reason, everybody is interested in the same question — that somebody used a whip against the crowd [at an opposition rally in Moscow in May]. They don’t see anything else.This story is so old-fashioned and so stale to us. I’m telling you — don’t be so hung up on this. It’s all very different now.”
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