Alina Pash dropped out of Eurovision after being accused of illegally visiting Crimea in 2015. Ukraine's public service channel UA: PBC has in recent weeks tried to sort out the circumstances of her Crimean stay, while Alina Pash has assured that she has not broken any rules.
Last week, the artist announced that she is canceling her Eurovision participation.
"I do not want to be a part of this dirty story anymore.
It is with a heavy heart that I withdraw my representation of Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest ", Pash wrote on Instagram.
Now Ukraine chooses instead to send the hip hop group Kalush Orchestra.
The contribution Stefania, a rap with folk music elements, came third in the national competition but received the most votes from the Ukrainian viewers, writes Escxtra.
In 2017, Russia's representative Julia Samoilova was stopped from competing in the ESC, which was held that year in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, because she had previously had a concert in the Crimea.
Eurovision 2022 is held in Turin.
The semifinals take place on 10 and 12 May, the final on 14 May.