Raid at the Okean Elsa concert: Vakarchuk evaded the answer, and raids will be regular

On the eve of the raids took place in several major cities of the country, including Kiev. Employees of the Shopping Center, with the support of the police, raided nightclubs, restaurants and at the concert of the Okean Elzy group, which was held at the Kiev Sports Palace.

The leader of the Okean Elzy group, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, in a comment to TSN, evaded the question of how he feels about this event.

“It’s our birthday today, I hope you congratulate us too. We are very happy that so many people have come and come to support us, listen to our music. In general, this is a big holiday for us. These 30 years have been very important for us. We are very grateful to people for these 30 years. Including for the fact that they continue to support us now. For us it’s just a joy and a celebration. That’s all I want to say, my only comment. Period,” said Vakarchuk.

…

“There is a persistent sense of acute social injustice in Ukrainian society during mobilization. It is believed, and not unreasonably, that the bulk of those who are being mobilized now are residents of small towns and villages, ordinary hard workers or poor people who do not have money to pay off. This causes tension in society. In addition, there is tension in the army — the military are outraged that they are sitting in the trenches, while healthy men in the rear are sitting in restaurants, hanging out in clubs, going to concerts. In general, they live a full-blooded peaceful life. This annoys many front-line soldiers and reinforces the feeling of social injustice. That’s why we decided to arrange a demonstration raid so that the whole country could see — “the rich are crying too.” That is, party-goers can also be mobilized. Similar events are now planned to be held regularly. This is a political decision,” the source said.

Related:

Okean Elzy marks 30th anniversary with first English-language album

Meaning of “Voices Are Rising” by Okean Elzy:

Energy: The song is about the energy that people have inside and how it can be used for good.

Light overcoming darkness: The song’s message is that light will always overcome darkness.

Ukrainian voices: The song is a testament to the Ukrainian voices that have risen thanks to those who defend their country. 

Symbolic meaning: The song’s lyrics have gained symbolic meaning and seem to speak to the current tragedy in Ukraine. For example, the song’s opening lyrics, “Why do I dream that, again and again / I am walking with you in my hometown Lviv”, seem to speak to the current tragedy in Ukraine.

A testament to connecting with international audiences: The song is a testament to the band’s ability to connect with international audiences.

“Voices Are Rising” was released on March 22, 2024, the day Ukraine endured a massive missile attack by Russian forces. It was the band’s first English-language song in nearly three decades and the first song on an upcoming English-language album.

2019: Ukrainian Rockstar Vakarchuk Could Be a Better President Than Zelenskiy – Francis Fukuyama

Fukuyama expressed regret that Vakarchuk has declined to take part in the elections and compete with Zelenskiy. According to Fukuyama, “he would be much more qualified” for the presidency.

2017: Sviatoslav Vakarchuk joins Stanford as a visiting scholar this fall

“We look forward to welcoming Slava Vakarchuk to the CDDRL community this fall,” said Francis Fukuyama the Mosbacher director of CDDRL. “His presence will add a great deal towards our understanding of Ukraine’s democratic transition.”

2015: Vakarchuk to study at Yale as third Ukrainian fellow