Ukrainian musician Svyatoslav Vakarchuk sings a song against the background of a monument of Taras Shevchenko, a famous Ukrainian poet and a national symbol, covered with bags to protect it from the Russian shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 27, 2022. The bronze 16 meter high monument was opened in 1935, survived WWII and is considered one of the world's best monuments to Shevchenko. Kharkiv is Ukraine's second biggest city 30 kilometers of the Russian border. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, the star of Ukraine is on a dangerous tour by performing at hotspots in Ukraine. He said, “It is just to make people feel that I am with them.”
Ukraine’s biggest star, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, from Okean Elzy, was preparing for his tour from April. He is such a popular figure in the country that people even wanted to see him as their President.
The hospital visit in Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine has propelled Svyatoslav in performing near fighting hotspots, railway stations, hospitals, and underground platforms where civilians are taking shelter for saving them from Russian bombs.
On his tours, Vakarchuk said, “The first was the Zaporizhzhia three weeks ago, “They wanted me to sing in front of the personnel and some, like, lightly wounded soldiers. Well, we went outside in the yard. And we were surrounded by, you know, a lot of military objects, I mean, defense things like masks, like camouflage. So it was very moving. So I sang a couple of songs. Just a cappella. Afterwards, I decided to continue it.”
Vakarchuk, also known as Slava, gave a 50-minute concert outside Lviv’s central station for refugees, police, and military forces facing daily Russian attacks. He has appeared at universities and important workplaces to encourage people to persevere in the face of adversity.
He said, “I haven’t counted I have probably sung in eight to 10 cities.”
He continued, “You can easily imagine these pictures in the movies of you know, London 1941 when people were hiding in the subway during Nazi blitz and bombing, the feeling is similar.”
“The nation understands that probably there is nobody else who is going to fight this enemy. But even if you’re alone, you’re destined to do it and you don’t have any other choice because otherwise you’ll be ruined as a nation.”
When asked about his own safety, he said, “I am concerned. But let me tell you this. First of all, we have a small team and we do have some security there. And it’s not that I’m just alone there, no. Secondly, the point is that there is no safe place in Ukraine anymore. There is no law which allows us to leave the country for those men who can carry guns, and actually, I don’t want to.”
Subscribe to our newsletter and get trending music news and Gossip in your inbox.
