Is Zaporozhian Cossacks skin dark?

Question by Lobo man: Zaporozhian Cossacks ?
Why have the Zaporozhian Cossacks been portrayed as darker in skin tone, as compared to other European troops? Ukrainians are pretty light pigmented, as far as I know. Does it have to do with imperialism, and associating barbarianism (Zapo’s challenged the ‘civilized’ Russian and Ottoman empires) with darker tans?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sergiy_Vasylkivskiy-_Cossack.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sergiy_Vasylkivskiy-_Cossack_colonel.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Repin_Cossacks.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oboz_Zaporozcow.jpg

Thanks!
Answers and Views:

Answer by wgscontact
Yes, Ukrainian people in general are quite light-skinned, at least lighter than Greek or southern Italian people (usually, but not always).
I think that’s just how particular artists decided to portray the Zaporozhian Cossacks for whatever reason. I know that people at that time did associate Cossacks as darker-skinned. This is probably due to a fact that many indeed were darker-skinned because the Cossacks unlike other European troops spent much of their time in the open areas of Ukrainian steppes and thus were naturally tanned from constant sun exposure.

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