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| Eurovision song contest: Ukraine's chances thrown into doubt by crisis | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| When Mariya Yaremchuk was selected last year to represent Ukraine in Saturday's Eurovision song contest, she might have fancied her chances. | When Mariya Yaremchuk was selected last year to represent Ukraine in Saturday's Eurovision song contest, she might have fancied her chances. |
| After all, the bloc voting that has for years subverted the euro pop fest has habitually played in Ukraine's favour. Getting good scores - Ukraine came third last year, fourth in 2011, second in 2007 and 2008 and won in 2004 - is easier if you have a dozen sympathetic regional allies like Belarus, Azerbaijan and, yes, Russia that vote for you year after year. | After all, the bloc voting that has for years subverted the euro pop fest has habitually played in Ukraine's favour. Getting good scores - Ukraine came third last year, fourth in 2011, second in 2007 and 2008 and won in 2004 - is easier if you have a dozen sympathetic regional allies like Belarus, Azerbaijan and, yes, Russia that vote for you year after year. |
| This year, that might be different. It is hard to see Russia voting for anything Ukrainian at the moment. Other post-Soviet countries may be guarded, however catchy the tune Tick Tock might be. And for Yaremchuk herself, the escalation of violence back at home is making it hard for her to focus on preparations for the Copenhagen extravaganza. | This year, that might be different. It is hard to see Russia voting for anything Ukrainian at the moment. Other post-Soviet countries may be guarded, however catchy the tune Tick Tock might be. And for Yaremchuk herself, the escalation of violence back at home is making it hard for her to focus on preparations for the Copenhagen extravaganza. |
| "Now there is bloodshed in my country," Yaremchuk said an interview the day after scores of people were killed in Odessa last weekend. | "Now there is bloodshed in my country," Yaremchuk said an interview the day after scores of people were killed in Odessa last weekend. |
| Yaremchuk is an unusual embodiment of the divisions in Ukraine. | Yaremchuk is an unusual embodiment of the divisions in Ukraine. |
| Born in the western city of Chernivtsy in 1993, she surprised many in 2012 when she expressed "moral support" for the pro-Russian party of the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. She explained her comments as an effort to reunite the long-divided country, and insists she is apolitical and will be representing the entire country in Denmark. "I will be only with Ukrainian people," she said. "I will not be alone at the stage. Some 46 million Ukrainians will be behind my back. I want to perform well for them, on their honour and in the name of them." | Born in the western city of Chernivtsy in 1993, she surprised many in 2012 when she expressed "moral support" for the pro-Russian party of the ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. She explained her comments as an effort to reunite the long-divided country, and insists she is apolitical and will be representing the entire country in Denmark. "I will be only with Ukrainian people," she said. "I will not be alone at the stage. Some 46 million Ukrainians will be behind my back. I want to perform well for them, on their honour and in the name of them." |
| Another Ukrainian Eurovision star, the 2004 winner Ruslana, conspicuously supported the Kiev protest movement this winter, singing her victorious tune night after night to the Euromaidan protesters. | Another Ukrainian Eurovision star, the 2004 winner Ruslana, conspicuously supported the Kiev protest movement this winter, singing her victorious tune night after night to the Euromaidan protesters. |
| Yaremchuk was not seen on Euromaidan, but she says she donated money and blood for the casualties. Now she believes music will be a good way to reunite the country. "We will try to unite people with the language of music and Eurovision would be the best way to do so," she said. | Yaremchuk was not seen on Euromaidan, but she says she donated money and blood for the casualties. Now she believes music will be a good way to reunite the country. "We will try to unite people with the language of music and Eurovision would be the best way to do so," she said. |
| Tick Tock is a song about love and time, Yaremchuk said. A man will run inside a big rotating wheel during the performance. | Tick Tock is a song about love and time, Yaremchuk said. A man will run inside a big rotating wheel during the performance. |
| "The main message of it is that time exists now, you shouldn't lose it, and if you found your love than you have to hold it and fight for it until the end," she said, adding that she did not want to make predictions about the result. | "The main message of it is that time exists now, you shouldn't lose it, and if you found your love than you have to hold it and fight for it until the end," she said, adding that she did not want to make predictions about the result. |
| Some speculate that what Ukraine loses from its perennial allies it might gain from sympathy votes further west, but Yaremchuk said she was not thinking about that. | Some speculate that what Ukraine loses from its perennial allies it might gain from sympathy votes further west, but Yaremchuk said she was not thinking about that. |
| "I don't want to think about Russia or any other country. I think only about Ukraine," she said. "I want to be worthy of Ukrainians who have proved to be a very strong nation that deserves a better future in Europe." | "I don't want to think about Russia or any other country. I think only about Ukraine," she said. "I want to be worthy of Ukrainians who have proved to be a very strong nation that deserves a better future in Europe." |