Singer Alina Pash won the Ukrainian final last Saturday, but will not be the entry for Turin. Pash withdrew today after stories emerged in recent days that she had supplied a forged document to the Ukrainian broadcaster. One of the rules of the selection was that visits to Crimea could only take place via Ukrainian territory. Pash had been to Crimea in 2015 and had provided a document, but it was said to have been forged. The singer had had enough of all the reactions and stories and withdrew herself today.
It will probably be announced next Friday whether the number 2 will go, Kalush Orchestra, or if Ukraine will not participate at all. The broadcaster probably won’t be eager to send in Kalush Orchestra either. That band accused the broadcaster of fraud during the vote after the vote. It wasn’t so much about their own votes, they won the televote, but according to the group’s manager, Pash had finished third in the televote and not second. In that case, Kalush Orchestra would have been declared the winner on Saturday instead of Pash.
