Ivan Sirko Hero of France or how the Cossacks took Dunkirk

Even during his lifetime, the name of Ivan Sirk was sung in thoughts and songs, became part of legends, became a symbol not only of the Zaporizhia Cossacks, but also of the entire freedom-loving spirit of the Orthodox people. It is known that Ivan Sirko made at least 65 successful campaigns. He revealed himself to them as a prominent military figure. He had indisputable authority among the Zaporozhian Cossacks.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Sirko was chosen for the elected position of the kosh ataman from 1661 to 1673 with short breaks. That is, in the history of Zaporizhzhya Sich, it should be recognized as the first after Sirk in terms of the number of re-elections to the highest government in Sich. It is known that in 1644, the French ambassador, Count de Brezhy, on behalf of the de facto ruler of the country, Cardinal Giulio Mazarini, hired 2,500 Cossacks for the French service. In October 1645, the Zaporozhians, led by Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, Ivan Sirko, and another senior officer Soltenko, were transported by the Baltic Sea from Gdańsk to Kalu.

Later, they took part in the siege of the Spanish in Dunkirk, and Sirko commanded the regiment even then. And it was he who suggested how to take this impregnable fortress from the sea and from the land, which the Spaniards possessed for many years and was the key to the English Channel.