Discussion. "Rejoining or joining. Hetmanate - a new stage in the formation of the nation"

The period of the Cossacks was glorified in the 90s. But who are the Cossacks? Was the Hetmanate a state?

Was the Cossacks an element that destroyed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth tradition? What legal, political, cultural tradition did the Cossacks represent and on what platform did they gain their state? Hetmanate, as part of the Moscow Empire and the Russian Empire - a state that is united or bowed its head? Khmelnytsky - joined Ukraine? Mazepa - what did he fight for and against whom?