Usually this word is translated as colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical and social context.

By the end of the 17th century, the title of the assignment became a de facto rank as such and started to denote the commanding officer of the entire regiment.

During the Invasion of Poland in 1939, the Polish divisions were commanded by officers of many grades, from colonels to three-star generals.

He represented the Kosh Otaman in the palanka and had significant powers, including the right to condemn Cossacks to the death penalty.

Polkovnyks were elected by the Cossack Council (рада, rada) subject to the approval of the Polish government.

During Khmelnytsky Uprising (1648–1657) and in the Cossack Hetmanate (1649–1764; also in the Slobozhanshchyna in 1652–1765), a polkovnyk headed a territorial administrative unit, the regiment (полк).