The primary Cossack paramilitary organization in Russia's Rostov and Volgograd regions announced the formation of a special unit to fight against "sects" according to a December 26, 2007 report by the Sova Information-Analytical Center. In the parlance of the Russian Orthodox Church and much of the Russian media, a "sect" is any minority Christian organization other than the Orthodox or Catholic churches. The word has a strongly negative connotation, and nationalists and their allies in the press regularly link the word "sect" with accusations of brainwashing, espionage, conspiracies to destroy Russia, and fraud.

The leader of the Invincible Don Host, Viktor Vodolatsky, who is also a member of the Russian parliament, reportedly issued the following statement, which strongly hinted that his group is ready to use violence against minority Christians:

"We will find out the addresses of these sects, ferret out who their adepts are and explain to them that their presence on the land of the Don is not wanted... Cossacks have always stood for a strong state and for the defense of the Russian Orthodox Church, therefore we need to fight against these leftovers that have come to us from the West."

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