A team of Cossacks are to ride once more on Paris in a show of Russian patriotism two centuries after their forebears chased Napoleon's Grand Army back to the French capital.

The 23 horsemen set off from Moscow on Sunday as Russia begins bicentenary celebrations of its historic victory over France following the Battle of Borodino outside Moscow in September 1812.

That battle was held up by Vladimir Putin during his campaign for the presidency in February as emblematic of Russia's victorious spirit and its inability to tolerate foreign meddling.

Napoleon invaded Russia with half a million men in spring 1812 and reached Moscow, but his army became overstretched and he was eventually forced into a disastrous retreat.

The modern-day Cossacks from the southern Don region will spend three months visiting the sites of the Russian army's battles as it drove Napoleon's forces out of their country and then advanced on France as part of the Sixth Coalition over the next two years.

Regiments of Don Cossacks led by Count Matvei Platov were among those who took part in the campaign that ended in Paris in 1814, forcing Napoleon's abdication.

The 23 riders plan to pass through Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and France. They began their trek from Moscow's Poklonnaya Gora Park wearing traditional sheepskin hats and blue tunics, and riding Don horses, a breed known for its stamina.

"This horseback campaign is just not about remembering the war and the soldiers who fell," organiser Andrei Belyaninov said before their departure. "It's also a reminder of the mutual cultural ties of European countries, in which Russia plays a major role."

There are thought to be hundreds of thousands of Cossacks in Russia today, many descendants of the mustachioed warriors of the steppes who lived for centuries in semi-autonomous clans between the Black and Caspian seas.

They have preserved a fierce pride in their fighting prowess and strong Orthodox faith, and many believe their mission is still to preserve Russian greatness.

However, their role is controversial because of historically antagonistic relations with other ethnic groups, especially in the violent North Caucasus. Alexander Tkachev, the governor of the Krasnodar region which will host the 2014 Winter Olympics, provoked criticism earlier this month when he said that Cossack patrols would be employed to "squeeze out" migrants from nearby Russian republics.

Russia is planning a series of events as part of the wider bicentenary celebrations, including a 3,000-person re-enactment of the Borodino battle, which was inconclusive but decimated Napoleon's army.

Mr Putin invoked the battle in a campaign speech in February which displayed his classic rhetoric about Russia being surrounded by malignant enemies who sponsor internal dissent.

"The battle for Russia continues, the victory will be ours," he told supporters at a Moscow stadium. "We will not allow anyone to impose their will on us. We have our own will and this has always helped us be victorious." He added: "We are a victorious nation. This is in our genes. This is in our genetic code. This gets passed from generation to generation."----

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9470749/Cossacks-set-off-on-historic-ride-from-Moscow-to-Paris.html