Puneet Varma (Editor)

Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest

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Appearances
  
14 (14 finals)

Best result
  
1st: 2004, 2016

First appearance
  
2003

Worst result
  
19th: 2005

Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest

Member station
  
Natsionalna Telekompaniya Ukrainy (NTU)

National selection events
  
National Final 2005–2007 2009–2014 2016–present Internal Selection 2003–2004 2008

Ukraine has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 13 times since making its debut in 2003, winning twice. Ukraine's first victory came in 2004 with "Wild Dances" by Ruslana. The 2005 contest was then held in the country's capital, Kiev. Its second victory at the 2016 contest with the song "1944" by Jamala, made Ukraine the first Eastern European country to win the contest twice. Ukraine has also finished second in the contest with Verka Serduchka in 2007 and Ani Lorak in 2008, third with Zlata Ognevich in 2013, and fourth with Mika Newton in 2011, for a total of six top five placements.

Contents

History

Ukraine made its debut in 2003, when Oleksandr Ponomaryov finished 14th. Ukraine won the contest at the second attempt in 2004, when Ruslana won with the song "Wild Dances", defeating second-placed Serbia and Montenegro by 17 points, 280 to 263.

On 19 September 2014, state broadcaster NTU announced that it would sit out the 2015 Contest because of financial difficulties in relation to the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. However, Ukraine broadcast the contest despite not taking part. On 23 May 2015, Ukrainian Broadcaster NTU pledged to bring Ukraine back to the contest for 2016. On 16 September 2015, it was announced that Ukraine would return to the contest in 2016.

On its return to the contest in 2016, Ukraine became the first Eastern European country to win the contest twice, when Jamala won with her song "1944". 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.

Since the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Ukraine has never failed to qualify for the final when they have participated, and has a total of nine top ten placements (six top five). The country has an average score of 143 points per contest, 233 if including the semi-finals.

Contestants

Table key
NOTES:
a. ^ In 2012, Cyprus and Ukraine were both awarded with 65 points each in the Final, however, as regulated by the "count-back" tie-breaker rule, Ukraine finished 15th overall and Cyprus 16th because Ukraine received points from more countries in the Final than Cyprus. b. If a country had won the previous year, they did not have to compete in the semi-finals the following year. In addition, back in 2004-2007, the top ten countries who were not members of the big four did not have to compete in the semi finals the following year. If, for example, Germany and France placed inside the top ten with Spain and the United Kingdom finishing after 15th place, the countries who placed 11th and 12th were advanced to the following year's grand final along with the rest of the top ten countries.

Voting history

As of 2016, Ukraine's voting history is as follows:

Marcel Bezençon Awards

Press Award

Artistic Award

Voted by previous winners

Voted by commentators

References

Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest Wikipedia