A special event took place today in London to mark the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In what could end up being a subtle hint at where Eurovision 2023 will be staged, the Scots Guards performed their version of Kalush Orchestra’s ‘Stefania’, the winning song of Eurovision 2022!

As explained by the UK Ministry of Defence, this special performance was done to “honour the anniversary and as a tribute to the Ukrainian people, the Scots Guards Band performed […] ‘Stefania’ on Horse Guards Parade.

Today Ukraine marks 31 years since it gained independence.

To honour the anniversary and as a tribute to the Ukrainian people, the @ScotsGuardsBand performed the winning @Eurovision entry, ‘Stefania’, on Horse Guards Parade. 🇺🇦🇬🇧@ArmyInLondon #StandWithUkraine #StandForFreedom pic.twitter.com/mUC5k07tC4

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 24, 2022

After being released on Twitter for just two hours, the two-minute video had already accumulated over 35,000 views!

The Band of the Scots Guards is unique among the footguards bands of the United Kingdom, as they add the Pipes and Drums to their ranks, which makes them instantly recognisable, along with their elaborate uniforms of Scottish kilt, sporran, spats and brogues. Their origins go back over 300 years, to 1716!

Kalush Orchestra won Eurovision three months ago (yes, that’s all) with a record televote score of 439 points and an overall score of 631 points in the Grand Final, making it the second highest scoring Eurovision song in history!

Let us know if you like the Scots Guards version of ‘Stefania’ in the comments or on our social media @escbubble !