Cossack Whips

The nagaika, originating from the Nogai people and adopted by the Cossacks, is a stout, short whip with a rounded cross-section. Crafted from braided leather strips, it often featured a metal tip for added weight. Originally, its primary function was to prompt horses into action, while the metal tip served as a deterrent against wolves. Over time, romanticized depictions have embellished the military utility of the nagaika, though historically, its principal purpose remained to control horses.

However, it was also wielded against unarmed individuals, such as for punitive measures or dispersing public unrest, thus earning the association with tsarist oppression. In 2005, as part of Cossack reforms, nagaika whips were reintroduced alongside other traditional weaponry, marking a resurgence of their use in military contexts.