Alina Pash: The singer will not represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest
Written byTimes Magazine
Alina Pash said she missed the opportunity to sing for Ukraine at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. The 28-year-old had won a TV show to represent her country at the event but withdrew from the trial "with a heavy heart."
Ukraine's national operator, UA: PBC, said it had decided to "suspend its participation." He is investigating his 2015 trip to Crimea, a Russian-controlled territory, in 2014.
Alina said several people attacked her online and called her about her visit as a non-Ukrainian. He wrote: "I am a citizen of Ukraine in an Instagram post. I follow Ukrainian law and try to present Ukrainian traditions and values .
"What I got in this story was not at all what I wanted to convey with my song." The row over his visit to Crimea comes as the world waits to see if Russia will attack Ukraine. Who is Alina Pash? Born in a diminutive village in the Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine, Alina rose to prominence as her country's version of the X-Factor.
He said he waited "eight years" for the chance to represent his country at Eurovision - the world's biggest music competition - and win Vidbir, the national selection event.
His song Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors blends genres with his goal of "showing the world that Ukrainian culture is beautiful." Despite a possible Russian invasion, much of the social media chatter in Ukraine on Saturday night revolved around Alina Pash, Eurovision, and their rivals.
Why was Alina's trip to Crimea controversial in 2015?
Visiting Crimea can be frustrating, and there are strict rules about how people travel to the region.
Ukrainians and foreigners are only authorized to travel there through official checkpoints on the ground. In addition, according to Ukrainian law, it is illegal to travel to Crimea via Russia. Alina has provided evidence to authorities on how she got to the region, but this is being monitored.
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