Ukrainian Eurovision broadcaster Suspilne has recently confirmed that Ukraine’s first-ever Eurovision winner Ruslana will indeed be part of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool!

In a statement issued on Saturday, Suspilne confirmed:

Ruslana, the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was included in the program of the contest. We know for sure that the singer and her team know about these plans, and what’s more, they have already made the necessary preparations.

We would like to note that the BBC […] involved a record number of Ukrainian artists in the events around and during the Eurovision Song Contest [2023]. Detailed information on the involvement of artists is confidential until the moment of official publication by the organizer.

For today, we can only emphasize that Ruslana will perform in a number of formats that will take place before and during the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, […]. As far as we know, the BBC intends to include Ruslana in the Eurovision 2023 Final.

This news came about five hours after Ruslana took to her social media to express her shock and frustration that she had not been invited to the Eurovision 2023 Semi Finals or Grand Final. In a lenghty Instagram post she wrote:

I am asked if I will stand on the stage of Eurovision, which will take place on behalf of Ukraine and will be held in Liverpool. I don’t know that. So far I have not received any offer or official invitation from the organizers of Eurovision […] As of today, my performance on the main stage of Eurovision is not scheduled either in the finals or in the semi-finals. […]

I will wait and see how events will develop further and do not give any comments yet. Unfortunately, little depends on me in this situation. But there are decisions that I can afford to make myself. When I went to Istanbul for the Eurovision Song Contest, I was going to win primarily for Ukraine. And now I think it is right to consult with Ukraine, with Ukrainians. That is, with you, those who read my appeal.

1️⃣ Wait further for an invitation to the Eurovision Grand Final – ⏳
2️⃣ Refuse the offer to perform at the Eurovision Grand Final if one does come – 🙅🏻‍♀️
✔️ As you and I vote with the majority of votes and reactions, so I will act. […].

Over a week ago, the EBU along with the BBC and Suspilne confirmed that many of Ukraine’s former Eurovision acts would return, but Ruslana was interestingly omitted from that list.

No word has yet come from the BBC or the EBU to confirm Suspilne’s statement.

Do you think it is a coincidence that Ruslana was confirmed to appear at Eurovision 2023 hours after her post, or was this part of the plans all along? Let us know in the comments below or on our social media @escbubble! Ruslana got 280 points and won the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul in 2004 with the song Wild Dances.