No, I’m talking about during the Soviet period and post-Soviet period. When the USSR broke up Chechnya was part of Russia and Ukraine wasn’t. Even during the Soviet period the Ukraine had a separate seat at the UN. There’s a fundamental difference between keeping a part of your own country and taking a part or all of someone else’s.
I don’t think the Chechens thought they were part of Russia. Let’s not forget that the Soviet special forces commander who refused Gorbachev’s order to open fire on civilians in the baltic was a Chechen. Gorbachev fired him for that. He then went back to Chechnya, got himself elected, and promptly seceded. As far as the Chechens were concerned, they weren’t doing anything any different from what the Baltic states were doing. Let’s also remember that the Chechens initially won their independence from Russia. They would still be independent today if they hadn’t foolishly tried to pick off Ingushetia and Daghestan, prompting Putin to re-invade.