UKRAINE in the Eurovision Song Contest – Participation history

Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest
Participating broadcaster
Participation summary
Appearances
First appearance
Language
National Selections National final
Internal selection
Hostings
Highest placement Top 5 FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Highest placement Top 10 FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Worst placement (Bottom) FINAL SEMI-FINALS
Times qualified – Qualifiying rate
Victories
Nul points (Nil points) FINAL SEMI-FINALS

Participation history

Note: Entries scored out signify where Ukraine did not compete

Years

2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 20152016 • 2017 • 2018 • 20192020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 •

Artists Oleksandr Ponomariov (Олександр Пономарьов) • Ruslana (Руслана) • GreenJolly (Ґринджоли, Gryndzholy) • Tina Karol (Тіна Кароль) • Verka Serduchka (Вірка Сердючка / Вєрка Сердючка) • Ani Lorak (Ані Лорак) • Svetlana Loboda (Світлана Лобода; LOBODA) • Alyosha (Альоша) Vasyl Lazarovich (Василь Лазарович) • Mika Newton (Міка Ньютон) • Gaitana (Гайтана) • Zlata Ognevich (Злата Огнєвіч) • Mariya Yaremchuk (Марія Яремчук) • Jamala (Джамала, Camala) • O.Torvald (Оторвальд) • MÉLOVIN (Ме́ловін) • MARUV • Go_A (Ґоу_Ей) • Go_A (Ґоу_Ей) • Kalush Orchestra • TVORCHI (творчі) • alyona alyona and Jerry Heil (aльона aльона Дже́рі Гейл) •
Songs Hasta la vista” (До побачення) • “Wild Dances” (Дикі танці) • “Razom nas bahato” (Разом нас багато; Ра́зом нас бага́то, нас не подола́ти!) • “Show Me Your Love” (Покажи мені своє кохання) • “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” (Танець лаша тумбай) • “Shady Lady” (Загадкова леді) • “Be My Valentine! (Anti-Crisis Girl)” (Будь моїм коханим; Будь моїм коханим! (Антикризова дівчина)) • “Sweet People” (Любі люди) “I Love You” (Я Люблю Тебе) • “Angel” (Янгол) • “Be My Guest” (Будь моїм гостем) • “Gravity” (Тяжіння) • “Tick-Tock” (Тік-так) • “1944” • “Time” (Час) • “Under the Ladder” (Під сходами) • “Siren Song” (Пісня сирени) • “Solovey” (Соловей) • “Shum” (Шум) • “Stefania” (Стефанія) • “Heart of Steel” (Сталеве серце) • “Teresa & Maria” (Тереза та Марія) •

 

  • Emittente televisiva: NTUUAPBC
  • Processo di Selezione: Selezione Nazionale (2005–2007, 2008 (brano), 2009–2014, Vidbir 2016–2021) | Selezione Interna (2003–2004, 2008 (artista))
  • Organizzazione concorso – Paese ospite: 2 (ESC Kyiv 2005; ESC Kyiv 2017)
  • Numero di partecipazioni: 15
  • Lingue:  Inglese ()
  • Prima partecipazione:  ESC Riga 2003: Olexandr | Hasta La Vista
  • Miglior piazzamento: Top 5: FI: 1° (),  2° (), 3° (), 4° (), 5° ()| SF: 1° (),  2° (), 3° (), 4° (), 5° ()
  • Miglior piazzamento Top 10: FI:1° (),  2° (), 3° (), 4° (), 5° ()|SF: 1° (),  2° (), 3° (), 4° (), 5° ()
  • Peggior piazzamento (Bottom): FI: 1° (),  2° (), 3° (), 4° (), 5° ()| SF: 1° (),  2° (), 3° (), 4° (), 5° ()
  • Average place: 7,35
  • Qualificazioni per la Finale: 14 su 14 (dal 2004)
  • Numero di vittorie: 2 (ESC Istanbul 2004: Ruslana | Wild Dances; ESC Stockholm 2016: Jamala | 1944)
  • Nul points (Nil points): FI: | SF: 

Ukraine debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 and took no time at all to establish themselves as one of the most successful countries in the show’s more recent history.

They won on their second participation when Ruslana’s “Wild Dances” stormed to the top of the scoreboard and took the Contest to Kyiv for the 50th edition.

Ukraine would be declared champions again in 2016 thanks to Jamala’s emotional ballad “1944”, which also won a Marcel Bezençon Award for artistry in the process.

The third and most recent Ukrainian victory came courtesy of Kalush Orchestra and their entry “Stefania”, which became the first rap song to win the Eurovision Song Contest.

Ukraine has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 19 times since making its debut in 2003. The current Ukrainian participant broadcaster in the contest is the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC), which select its entrant with the national competition Vidbir. Ukraine has won the contest three times: in 2004 with “Wild Dances” by Ruslana, in 2016 with “1944” by Jamala, and in 2022 with “Stefania” by Kalush Orchestra, thus becoming the first country in the 21st century and the first Eastern European country to win the contest three times. The 2005 and 2017 contests were held in Kyiv, while the 2023 contest was held in Liverpool, United Kingdom, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Ukraine is one of the only two countries outside of the “Big Five” to have qualified for the final of every contest they have competed,[a] and has been placed outside the top-ten only six times.[1] Ukraine has a total of nine top-five placements, with “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” by Verka Serduchka (2007) and “Shady Lady” by Ani Lorak (2008) both finishing second, “Gravity” by Zlata Ognevich (2013) as well as “Teresa & Maria” by Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil (2024) third, “Angel” by Mika Newton fourth (2011), and “Shum” by Go_A fifth (2021), in addition to its wins. The only countries with more top-five results in the 21st century are Sweden (13) and Russia (10).

History

[edit]

The National Television Company of Ukraine (NTU) was a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since 1 January 1993, thus eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest since then. It participated in the contest representing Ukraine since its 48th edition in 2003. Since 2016, its successor, the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC), is who participates representing Ukraine.

NTU made its debut in the contest in 2003, when it finished in 14th place with the song “Hasta la vista” performed by Oleksandr Ponomariov.

Ukraine won the contest at the second attempt in 2004, with the song “Wild Dances” by Ruslana, defeating second-placed Serbia and Montenegro by 17 points, 280 to 263. In 2016, Ukraine became the first Eastern European country to win the contest twice, when “1944” by Jamala won. The televote was won by Russia and the jury vote by Australia; Ukraine was second in both, but won with an overall total of 534 points, with Australia second with 511 points and Russia third with 491 points. In 2017, Ukraine was pre-qualified for the final as hosts, however it achieved its worst result to date – 24th place with 36 points.

Ukraine was absent twice from the contest, in 2015 and 2019, for reasons related to the ongoing war with Russia:

  • NTU sat out the 2015 contest because of financial difficulties in relation to the war in Donbas.[2] However, Ukraine broadcast the contest despite not taking part.[3] NTU pledged to bring Ukraine back to the contest for 2016, which was finalized and announced on 16 September 2015.[4]
  • Vidbir, the Ukrainian national selection for the 2019 contest, was won by Maruv with “Siren Song“. However, UA:PBC required any potential representative in the contest to sign a contract which would forbid them from performing in Russia. The winner Maruv, as well as runners-up Freedom Jazz, Kazka and Brunettes Shoot Blondes, all refused to sign the contract, leading to Ukraine’s withdrawal from the contest on 27 February.[5]

In 2020Go_A won the national selection Vidbir and was set to represent Ukraine with the song “Solovey“, before the contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were instead internally selected to represent the country the following year with the song “Shum“, with which they finished in fifth place. After the contest, “Shum” entered the Billboard Global 200 at position 158, becoming the first ever Ukrainian-language song to chart there.[6] Ukraine won the contest for a third time in 2022, with the song “Stefania” performed by Kalush Orchestra. “Stefania” later went on to surpass the peak of “Shum” on the Billboard Global 200, charting at position 85.[7]

Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Ukraine is the only country to have qualified for the final of every edition it has competed in (they were absent from the 2015 and 2019 contests).[note 1] Ukraine has a total of 11 top-ten placements (among those are eight top-five placements). Ukraine’s participation and success in the contest has been acknowledged as a factor in the country’s growing soft power and international image.[8] This view is shared by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has supported the country’s continued participation following the Russian invasion as a way to promote the Ukrainian national cause internationally.[9]

Participation overview

[edit]

The following lists Ukraine’s entries in the Eurovision Song Contest along with their result.[10]

Table key
1 First place
2 Second place
3 Third place
X Entry selected but did not compete
Upcoming event

Note: Edizione | # | Artista (i) | Canzone [Musica (m) / Texto (t)] | Lingua (Traduzione) | Punteggio | Posizione | Processo di Selezione

NOTES:

  • 1^ No country has always participated in the final since the introduction of semi-finals in 2004. Ukraine, despite having always reached the final, did not participate in the 2015 and 2019 contests. Additionally, the 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Big Five” (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are also not counted in this list since they receive automatic qualification to the final.
  • a^ The other country to have done so is Luxembourg, which qualified for the final on its return to the contest in 2024.
  • b^ According to the then-Eurovision rules, the top ten non-Big Four countries from the previous year along with the Big Four automatically qualified for the Grand Final without having to compete in semi-finals. For example, if Germany and France placed inside the top ten, the 11th and 12th spots were advanced to next year’s Grand Final along with all countries ranked in the top ten.
  • c^ The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • d^ Ukraine was unable to host the 2023 contest due to security concerns resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The United Kingdom, as the second-placing country in the 2022 contest, hosted on Ukraine’s behalf, with Ukraine automatically qualifying for the 2023 final as the previous year’s winning country.
  • e^ Jump up to:a b Voted by previous winners.
  • f^ Voted by commentators.
  • g^ The semi-finals on Radio Promin featured TV commentary by Miroshnychenko while radio presenters Oleksandra Franko and Yevhen Pavliukovskyi provided studio discussions during TV commercial breaks.[35]
  • h^ The broadcast of the semi-finals mostly featured TV commentary by Miroshnychenko. Only the second recaps (which Miroshnychenko left unnarrated on TV) were commentated on by Zakharchenko and Antypenko. The broadcasts also included brief studio discussions and brief on-site reports by Anna Zakletska between the close of the voting window and results announcements, which were presented by Zakharchenko and Antypenko.

Photo gallery

Selection process

[edit]

Year Selection process Channel
2003 Internal selection NTU
2004
2005 National final with 79 participants
2006 National final with 3 participants
2007 National final with 7 participants
2008 Internal selection for artist; national final with 5 songs
2009 National final with 31 participants
2010 Internal selection for artist; national final with 5 songs;
winning song of the first national final continued onto a second national final with 20 participants
2011 National final with 31 participants
2012 Online vote with 4 songs; national final with 21 participants
2013 National final with 20 participants
2014
Year Selection process Channel
2016 Vidbir with 18 participants UA:PBC
STB
2017 Vidbir with 24 participants
2018 Vidbir with 18 participants
2019 Vidbir with 16 participants
2020
2021 Internal selection
2022 Vidbir with 8 participants UA:PBC
2023 Vidbir with 10 participants
2024 Vidbir with 11 participants

Hostings

[edit]

Year Location Venue Presenters
2005 Kyiv Palace of Sports Maria Efrosinina and Pavlo Shylko
2017 International Exhibition Centre Volodymyr OstapchukOleksandr Skichko and Timur Miroshnychenko

Following its victory in 2022, Ukraine was initially given the opportunity to host the 2023 contest, however, the EBU later decided that the country would not be able to host due to security concerns caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, making Ukraine the first country since Israel in 1979 to win the contest but not host it the following year.[11] The 2022 runner-up, the United Kingdom, hosted the 2023 contest on Ukraine’s behalf, and Ukraine was granted automatic qualification for the final.[12]

Awards

[edit]

Marcel Bezençon Awards

[edit]

Year Category Song Performer Final Points Host city Ref.
2004 Artistic Award[e] Wild Dances Ruslana 1 280 Turkey Istanbul
2007 Press Award Dancing Lasha Tumbai Verka Serduchka 2 235 Finland Helsinki
2008 Artistic Award[e] Shady Lady Ani Lorak 2 230 Serbia Belgrade
2016 Artistic Award[f] 1944 Jamala 1 534 Sweden Stockholm

Barbara Dex Award

[edit]

Year Performer Host city Ref.
2007 Verka Serduchka Finland Helsinki

[edit]

Heads of delegation

[edit]

Each participating broadcaster in the Eurovision Song Contest assigns a head of delegation as the EBU’s contact person and the leader of their delegation at the event. The delegation, whose size can greatly vary, includes a head of press, the performers, songwriters, composers, and backing vocalists, among others.[17]

Year Head of delegation Ref.
2004 Pavlo Grytsak
20072016 Victoria Romanova
2017–present Oksana Skybinska

Jury members

[edit]

A five-member jury panel consisting of music industry professionals is made up for every participating country for the semi-finals and final of the Eurovision Song Contest, ranking all entries except for their own country’s contribution. The juries’ votes constitute 50% of the overall result alongside televoting.[21]

Year 1st member 2nd member 3rd member 4th member 5th member Ref.
Roman Nedzelskiy Oleksandr Ponomaryov Irena Zagorodnyuk Iryna Rozental Oleksandr Zlotnyk
Oleksandr Zlotnyk Kateryna Komar Kostiantyn Mishukov Alla Popova Olena Valovyk
Oleksandr Ksenofontov Maria Burmaka Valentin Koval Valeria Chachibaya Andre France
Yurii Rybchynsky Illaria Serhiy Grachov Yana Pryadko Serhiy Gagarin
Vitaliy Klimov Denys Zhupnyk Arthur Danielyan Alla Moskovka Khrystyna Soloviy
Oleksandr Ponomaryov Illaria Igor Kondratiuk Alla Moskovka Alyona Alyona
Andriy Yatskiv Andriy Kapral Iryna Fedyshyn Lukian Halkin Vadim Lysycia
Oleksandr Sydorenko Svitlana Tarabarova Antonina Matviyenko Oleh Sobchuk Evgeny Khmara
Alyosha Iryna Horova Kostiantyn Tomilchenko Maksim Nahorniak Olena Koliadenko

Commentators and spokespersons

[edit]

Year NTU/UA:PBC commentator STB commentator Radio commentator Spokesperson Ref.
2002 Pavlo Shylko, Mariya Orlova No broadcast No broadcast Did not participate
2003 Pavlo Shylko, Dmytro Kryzhanivskyi Lyudmyla Hariv
2004 Rodion Pryntsevskyi Pavlo Shylko
2005 Yaroslav Chornenkyi Galyna Babiy Mariya Orlova
2006 Pavlo Shylko No broadcast Igor Posypaiko
2007 Timur Miroshnychenko Kateryna Osadcha
2008 Marysya Horobets
2009
2010 Iryna Zhuravska
2011 Timur Miroshnychenko, Tetiana Terekhova Olena Zelinchenko Ruslana
2012 Oleksiy Matias
2013
2014 Zlata Ognevich
2015 No broadcast Did not participate
2016 Olena Zelinchenko Verka Serduchka
2017 Tetiana Terekhova, Andrii Horodyskyi Zlata Ognevich
2018 Timur Miroshnychenko (all shows)
Mariya Yaremchuk (semi-final 1)
Alyosha (semi-final 2)
Jamala (final)
Serhiy Prytula Nata Zhyzhchenko
2019 Timur Miroshnychenko No broadcast Did not participate
2021 Olena Zelinchenko (UR1)
Anna Zakletska, Dmytro Zakharchenko (Radio Promin)
Tayanna
2022 No broadcast Timur Miroshnychenko (semi-finals)[g]
Anna Zakletska, Dmytro Zakharchenko (final)
Kateryna Pavlenko
2023 Oleksandra Franko, Oleksandr Barbelen Zlata Ognevich
2024 Timur Miroshnychenko (all shows)
Vasyl Baidak [uk] (final)
Dmytro Zakharchenko, Lesia Antypenko[h] Jamala

Ukraine’s average distribution of the given points (2010-2016)

# 2010 2010 SF2 2011 2011 SF2 2012 2012 SF2 2013 2013 SF1 2014 2014 SF1 2016 2016 * 2016 SF2 2016 SF2 * Total Partici-
pations
Average
1 Azerbaijan 12 12 10 X 12 X 10 X 1 5 7 10 X X 79 9 8,78
2 Belarus X X 10 X 12 12 12 6 X X X 5 10 67 8 8,38
3 Georgia 7 7 12 X X 10 7 X X X 3 6 4 8 64 9 7,11
4 Armenia 6 8 X X X X 6 X 10 12 7 X X 49 7 7,00
5 Australia X X X X X X X X X X 5 4 12 7 28 4 7,00
6 Russia 10 X 8 X 10 X 4 7 4 6 12 X X 61 9 6,78
7 Slovakia X X X 12 X X X X X X X X X 12 2 6,00
8 Poland X X X X X X X X 7 X 8 1 12 28 5 5,60
9 Moldova X 7 8 X 8 10 X 2 X X X X 35 7 5,00
10 Turkey 8 10 X X 2 X X X X X X X X 20 4 5,00
11 Sweden X 1 5 6 7 X 12 10 4 1 X X 46 10 4,60
12 Lithuania X 2 X 4 1 5 X X 12 3 8 6 41 10 4,10
13 Latvia X X X X X X X X 8 5 6 3 22 6 3,67
14 Israel 3 6 X X X X X X X 6 7 2 24 7 3,43
15 North Macedonia X X X 7 3 5 X X X X X X 15 5 3,00
16 Montenegro X X X X X X X 8 1 X X X X 9 3 3,00
17 Belgium 1 X X X X X 10 10 4 25 9 2,78
18 Malta X X X X 7 6 2 X X X X 15 6 2,50
19 Hungary X X 4 X X X 3 8 2 X X 17 7 2,43
20 Greece X 6 X 5 X X X X X X X 11 5 2,20
21 Estonia X X 2 8 1 3 1 X X X X X 15 7 2,14
22 San Marino X X X X X X X X 4 X X X X 4 2 2,00
23 Denmark 5 3 X 5 4 X X X 17 10 1,70
24 Serbia X X 2 8 X 2 X X 3 15 9 1,67
25 Austria X X 1 X X X 8 X X X 9 6 1,50
26 Cyprus 4 X 6 X X X X X X 10 7 1,43
27 Germany 5 X X X X 5 X X X 10 7 1,43
28 Croatia X X X X 1 X 6 X X X X 7 5 1,40
29 Bulgaria X 1 X X X X X X 1 2 5 9 7 1,29
30 Spain 4 X X X X 2 X X X 6 7 0,86
31 Bosnia & Herzegovina X 4 X X X X X X X X 4 5 0,80
32 Netherlands X X X 7 X X 7 9 0,78
33 Ireland 2 X 3 X X X X 2 7 9 0,78
34 Romania 2 3 X X X X X X X 5 7 0,71
35 France X 5 X X X X X X 5 7 0,71
36 Italy X X X 4 X X X X X 4 6 0,67
37 Norway X X X 3 X X X X 1 4 7 0,57
38 Iceland X X X X 3 X X X X 3 6 0,50
39 United Kingdom X 3 X X X X X X 3 7 0,43

Ukraine’s average distribution of the received points (2010-2016)

# Country 2010 2010 SF2 2011 2011 SF2 2012 2012 SF2 2013 2013 SF1 2014 2014 SF1 2016 2016 * 2016 SF2 2016 SF2 * Total Partici-
pations
Average
1 MD Moldova X 8 8 8 X 12 12 10 8 12 10 X X X 88 11 8,00
2 AZ Azerbaijan 8 12 X 3 X 12 X 10 12 10 10 X X X 69 9 7,67
3 BY Belarus X 10 12 10 12 12 12 8 X 7 10 7 12 X 112 15 7,47
4 GE Georgia 7 10 X 6 6 8 X 6 X 12 10 12 12 X 82 13 6,31
5 IT Italy X 7 6 3 X 5 12 10 X 10 12 10 12 X 87 14 6,21
6 AM Armenia 10 12 X X X 12 X 12 10 X X X 46 8 5,75
7 SK Slovakia X 12 10 1 X X X X X X X X X 23 4 5,75
8 PL Poland X 2 X X X X X 5 X 12 12 12 12 X 55 10 5,50
9 EE Estonia X 7 1 5 10 6 8 10 7 8 X X X 62 12 5,17
10 IL Israel 2 7 8 X 10 X 5 X 12 8 10 7 X 67 13 5,15
11 LV Latvia X 6 X 7 X 7 7 12 10 10 12 X 71 14 5,07
12 LT Lithuania 10 X 2 5 10 12 5 X 8 10 8 10 X 70 14 5,00
13 RU Russia X 10 X 8 X 1 7 7 7 10 X X X 50 10 5,00
14 RS Serbia X 6 X 4 10 5 X X 12 7 10 6 X 60 13 4,62
15 CY Cyprus 6 5 5 X 10 12 X X 7 X X X 39 9 4,33
16 BG Bulgaria 6 8 3 5 10 X X X 4 12 X 52 13 4,00
17 SI Slovenia 1 6 6 12 X 12 7 8 8 X 59 15 3,93
18 ME Montenegro X X X X 12 7 8 8 X X X 35 9 3,89
19 HR Croatia 6 5 X 1 12 7 X X 10 X X X 35 9 3,89
20 MK North Macedonia X 7 6 3 3 X X 12 6 10 6 X 53 14 3,79
21 GR Greece X 7 X 1 X 8 X 5 X 2 6 X X X 29 8 3,63
22 MT Malta X 4 X 7 6 10 X X 4 X X X 31 9 3,44
23 PT Portugal X 7 X 1 2 X X 7 X X X X X 17 5 3,40
24 ES Spain X X 2 X 10 X 6 5 7 X X X 30 9 3,33
25 BA Bosnia & Herzegovina X 4 2 X X X X 12 7 X X X 25 8 3,13
26 SM San Marino X X X X 4 12 12 X X X 28 9 3,11
27 CZ Czech Republic X X X X X X X X X 12 X X X 12 4 3,00
28 BE Belgium X X 8 8 4 7 3 2 5 6 X 43 15 2,87
29 DK Denmark 3 1 X 3 8 1 7 12 3 1 5 X 41 15 2,73
30 HU Hungary X X X 7 X 2 3 12 X X X 24 9 2,67
31 NL Netherlands 2 5 8 5 3 7 X X X 31 12 2,58
32 GB United Kingdom 2 X 2 5 2 X 10 5 6 3 X 33 14 2,36
33 TR Turkey 3 7 X X X X X X X X X X 7 3 2,33
34 SE Sweden 2 3 6 1 6 7 X X X 25 12 2,08
35 DE Germany X X X 7 6 6 8 X 27 14 1,93
36 AT Austria X X 1 2 5 X 10 X X X 18 10 1,80
37 FI Finland X X X X 2 X 12 X X X 14 8 1,75
38 NO Norway 4 X 1 2 1 X X 4 4 6 4 X 22 13 1,69
39 AL Albania X 3 X X X 3 6 5 5 X 22 13 1,69
40 CH Switzerland X X X X 6 4 5 5 X 20 12 1,67
41 AU Australia X X X X X X X X X 2 8 3 X 13 8 1,63
42 RO Romania 5 2 2 X 4 X X X X X X X 8 5 1,60
43 IE Ireland 2 3 X 8 2 X 4 4 X 21 14 1,50
44 IS Iceland X X X 3 X 7 X X X 10 9 1,11
45 FR France X 2 X 10 X X X 12 11 1,09

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