Crimean beauty queen fined for singing Ukrainian patriotic song

Olga
Valeeva, a Crimean beauty queen, was fined 40,000 rubles (around $680) by
occupying Russian authorities, for singing the patriotic Ukrainian song ‘Cherovna
Kalyna,’ CNN reported citing Russian state media. ‘Cherovna Kalyna’ or Oi u
luzi chervona kalyna is a patriotic Ukrainian march song. The title of the song
roughly translates to: Oh, the Red Viburnum on the Meadow.

Valeeva,
who won the Mrs Queen Beauty – Crimea 2022, was “among two girls who sang a
song that is the battle anthem of an extremist organisation,” according to a Crimea’s
Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson.

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Valeeva was
spared a jail term because she had young children, Russian state media said. The
other woman, Valeeva’s friend, was sentenced to two days in detention. The pair
were detained on suspicion of “committing illegal actions aimed at discrediting
the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as publicly
displaying prohibited symbols.”

A court
later found them guilty.

Cherovna
Kalyna was heard for the first time in 1875. The modern rendition dates back to
1914. The song has turned into an anthem of Ukrainian resistance since Russia
invaded the nation on February 24. Pink Floyd, the cult British rock band, has
performed a rendition of the song. The lyrics of the song urge Ukrainians to
rise up and ‘rejoice’ like a red kalyna shrub growing in a field.

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Oleg
Kriuchkov, adviser to the Russian administration head of Crimea, said there is
no punishment for singing ‘normal Ukrainian songs’ but “No one will allow
nationalist hymns to be sung here! If you want to sing ‘Cherovna Kalyna’ or ‘Our
father is Bandera’ we will provide a platform – we will take you to neutral
territory to Nikolaev or Zaporizhzhia. Sing all you want,” he said on Telegram.

Crimea was
annexed by Russia in 2014.