The 28-year-old Ukrainian singer says she is ready to represent her country at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in May, after her victory in Saturday’s TV contest.
However, the Ukrainian national radio and television station has now “suspended” its participation in the song contest, and this is because an investigation is underway forto her trip in 2015 to the Crimeaan area where the Russia took control in 2014.
There are strict travel rules on how people enter Crimea, although it is not illegal for Ukrainians to visit it.
Alina has provided the authorities proof about how he entered the area, but that is now being considered.
Therefore her trip to Eurovision is on hold as she awaits the result.
“We already have so many problems,” Alina told Radio 1 Newsbeat.
“The pandemic is one of them and it still is. We need it war from above; Are you serious;”
In a statement to Newsbeat, Ukraine’s public service broadcaster said it was “awaiting a response from the State Border Guard Service” to “confirm the validity of the document”.
Alina says that some people claim that she is not Ukrainian: “I’m a girl from Ukraine. I speak Ukrainian and my song is about Ukraine,” she explains.
The situation between Ukraine and Russia could change dramatically before the two countries share the stage in the Italian city of Turin in May.
For now, Alina says some of her friends are already scared and have their bags ready in case they need to leave.
“I believe in my message that we do not need war, but if (Russia) is going to put pressure on us, we will be united.
“Artists like me want to create something good. We want to create light and positive news, but we live in this reality. We will react. We will not run.”
BBC
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