Bohdan Khmelnytsky

Bohdan Khmelnytsky (c. 1595–1657) was a Ruthenian noble probably born near Chyhyryn. After his father fell at the Battle of Cecora in 1620, he spent two years in Turkish captivity.

In 1648, with Crimean Tatar allies, he led the Zaporozhian Cossacks in a great uprising against the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and created an independent Cossack hetmanate. In 1648–1649 his Cossacks massacred tens of thousands of Poles and Jews.

In 1654 he concluded the Treaty of Pereiaslav with the Russian tsar, placing Ukraine under Russian protection. He died at Chyhyryn on 6 August 1657.