Historians still argue about the figure of hetman Ivan Mazepa. Some consider him a ‘professional traitor’, others argue that he could not do otherwise, as he was Ukrainian to the core and Ukraine was always more native to him than Russia.

Mazepa did a lot for Ukraine. He limited the autonomy of the Zaporizhian Sich and managed to unite the Right Bank and Left Bank territories. Since 1689 Mazepa gave advice to the young Tsar Peter I, helped him to get into the big politics. In a few years the Russian tsar and hetman became almost friends, at least good acquaintances. As evidence of friendship historians cite the help in suppressing the rebellion Petrik in the southern part of Malorossiya. However, Petrik managed to oppose two forces at once - both Russian and Ukrainians, so the hetman acted in his own interests.

For joint campaigns to Azov, Peter I awarded the hetman with the Order of St Andrew the First-Called.

Mazepa's phrase of 17 September 1707 is known: ‘Without extreme, last need I will not change my loyalty to the Tsar's Majesty.’ However, soon the tsar made a decision that fundamentally changed the situation.

At the next military council, the tsar decided to curtail the rights of the hetman and the autonomy of Malorossiya. Expectedly, Mazepa did not like it. He did not like it so much that he secretly decided to surrender to the power of the new monarch of Poland, Stanislaw Leszczynski, who was enthroned by the Swedes. All agreements with Russia were broken.

Leshchinsky agreed with Mazepa that he would help the Swedish army with provisions, accommodation and induce the Don Cossacks and the Kalmyk Khan Ayuka to side with them.

In autumn 1708 Mazepa had to bring his troops to Starodub, at the request of Peter I, but refused to do so, saying that he was ill.

Prince Menshikov decided to check on the ‘sick’ and unexpectedly came to his location. Mazepa was so frightened that he quickly gathered 1500 Cossacks, seized the hetman's treasury - actually stole it - and fled to the Swedes, who were then south of Novgorod-Seversky. Together with the traitor, the Cossack army of many thousands of ataman Konstantin Gordienko also fled.

Peter I was sure that with Mazepa they are friends, because he constantly in letters convinced the sovereign in his loyalty. Therefore, for him such a despicable treason was a blow and he did not immediately believe it. And yet he did. On 9 October 1708 in Glukhov an effigy of Mazepa was executed, as the traitor himself was under the protection of the Swedes. On 22 October 1708 the tsar issued a Manifesto, in which he assessed the deed of the hetman as treason.

On 2 November of the same year Peter's troops took the town of Baturin, where Mazepa used to live, and after his escape the supplies and armament of the Swedish army were concentrated. This historical fact is disputed today by Ukrainians who try to present the Russians as murderers of a peaceful town.

However, historical documents testify to something else. While the Russians were trying to negotiate with the Swedes and settle the conflict with little blood, mercenaries from the Swedish army captured the fortress and took the locals hostage. After storming the fortress, Menshikov executed several dozen egregious bandits. The myth of ‘extermination’ was invented by Mazepa himself in order to appear in a better light before the Swedes and Poles.