Ukrainian singer Olha Tsybulska has publicly criticized artists Potap and Nastia Kamenskykh over a controversial interview the couple gave to a Russian journalist.
Writing on her social media channels, Tsybulska said she did not believe a single word spoken by the pop duo, who left Ukraine to live abroad during the ongoing conflict.
Tsybulska stated that her entire social media feed had been taken over by posts discussing Potap and Kamenskykh. She explained that she had seen the footage involuntarily because it was everywhere online, adding that the couple had successfully achieved their goal of drawing attention.
The singer also hinted at the background of the interview, claiming she recognized the distinctive handwriting of the person who had orchestrated the entire appearance.
Controversial statements on language and travel
The criticism follows statements made by Kamenskykh during the interview regarding her use of the Ukrainian language. According to news reported by Ukrainian agency UNIAN, Kamenskykh claimed that her physical body did not accept speaking Ukrainian.
Kamenskykh recounted developing a cyst and losing her voice, which left her in shock and forced her to postpone scheduled concerts. She said a psychologist advised her to return to speaking Russian, describing her voice issues as a result of pure psychosomatics.
In the same interview, Potap addressed his departures from Ukraine during wartime. He acknowledged that while his travel was officially arranged under the banner of charity events, he simultaneously conducted commercial business activities while abroad.
Background on the performers
Olha Tsybulska is a popular Ukrainian singer, songwriter, and television presenter who first gained national prominence after winning a televised music competition. Potap, whose real name is Oleksiy Potapenko, and Nastia Kamenskykh formed a long-running pop duo before marrying, becoming among the most widely recognized figures in Ukrainian popular music.
The couple has faced public scrutiny in Ukraine over their decision to reside outside the country during the war and for their public comments regarding language and commercial work.
