The military career of Ivan Sirko spanned for nearly 60 years. He led the Zaporozhian Cossack army first as Polkovnyk (Colonel) and later as Kosh Otaman, position to which he was re-elected at least 8 times. Sirko's exploits against the Ottoman Empire and Crimean Khanate gained attention of entire Europe. He later became an inspiration and key figure of Ilya Repin's Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks. Ivan Sirko was particularly memorized in poems and literature. In Ukraine, Sirko is considered to be a national hero.
Ivan Sirko's military career is legendary. According to historian Dmytro Yavornytsky, Sirko led 55 campaigns during his career and never lost a battle. Recent research allows to increase number of Sirko's battles and campaigns, but Sirko wasn't confirmed to have suffered a defeat in any of them. Only Polish sources claim Sirko suffered 3 defeats in battle. New sources put Sirko's military record at over 65 victories in battles.
