Kurin

Kurin (Ukrainian: курінь) is a military term that was established by the cossacks.

During the Second World War, the basic combat unit of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) was a kurin. At some point in time in Ukraine kurin used to mean a village and also used to stand for the 11th lowest Cossack rank.[1]

In Zaporizhian Host it was an administrative-military unit equivalent to a battalion of four to eight hundred members, divided into three or four sotnias. The Otamans of kurins constituted the Kosh of the Host which was chaired by the Kosh Otaman. There were 38 kurins of the Zaporizhian Host. After the kurins were transferred to Kuban two more were added.

In Cossack Hetmanate, kurin was part of a sotnia consisting of 10 to 40 Cossacks.

At times of Ukrainian People's Republic the Sich Riflemen were initially organized as a kurin which later was expanded. After the coup of Pavlo Skoropadsky the kurin was disbanded.