According to published on the site WikiLeaks Confidential letters of US Embassy, during the armed conflict between Russia and Georgia, Russian Cossacks were looting and executing ethnic Georgians in Georgian villages.
Russian Cossaks and Ossetian separatists took hostages in Georgain villages of Nikozi, Dzveri, Tkviavi, and Karaleti (north of Gori). Additional reports indicate Russian Cossacks are shooting local Georgians and raping women and girls in the Georgian villages from South Ossetia to Gori.
Read complete US Embassy Confidential report at Wikileaks here.