Leléka and Yaroslav Dzhus returned to Ukraine after performing at Eurovision
On May 18, 2026, singer Leléka, bandura player Yaroslav Dzhus, and the Ukrainian delegation returned to Ukraine after competing in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, where they placed ninth.
This was reported by a Suspilne correspondent from the capital’s Central Passenger Station.
There, the musicians were greeted by several dozen fans and media representatives. Leléka couldn’t resist and sang the chorus of the song “Ridnym,” with which she represented Ukraine at the contest, earning applause from everyone present.
"I’m happy. I’m proud of Ukraine, proud of our team. I’m proud of our performance. And I’m happy that we did everything we promised. It was so beautiful, so radiant, as much as we could. I’m very satisfied that this is exactly how Ukraine should sound. That’s how I feel," the singer said afterward.
When asked by journalists about her future plans, particularly for today, Leléka replied that she “would hibernate for three or four days.”
"But I’ll go for an interview... Everyone says I shouldn’t turn it down, but I’d like to hibernate for a week just to forget about everyone, and then start writing music. To clear my head and write music," she said.
One of her fans, named Polina, who came to meet the singer at the capital’s train station, told reporters that she had made syrniki for her, since, she said, the singer was forbidden from eating sweets before her performances at the competition.
"Her favorite dish is syrniki. But they contain sugar. And Victoria (Leléka’s real name—ed.) said she wasn’t allowed to eat sugar until the end of Eurovision. And once she came to an interview and started talking about these syrniki. [...] I wrote to her: ‘Let me bring some to the train station for you.’ And she was like, ‘Okay,’" the girl said.
In Russia, Eurovision has been called Satanism.
Lelékawill take the Eurovision stage as number 7.
Eva Marija will represent Luxembourg in the second Eurovision semifinal today. Her musical journey began at the age of three—after she saw Oleksandr Rybak win with the song “Fairytale” at Eurovision 2009.
23-year-old Daniel Zizka will represent the Czech Republic in the second Eurovision semi-final today. The young artist is already being called one of the most promising new voices on the Czech music scene.
SIMÓN will represent Armenia in the second Eurovision semi-final today. The artist has come a long way from being a dancer in show business to becoming one of the country’s most prominent young singers.
