At Eurovision 2016 she recounted her family’s emotional history and the horrors of the forced deportation of Crimean Tartars by Joseph Stalin. And now, with her country under siege from Vladimir Putin and Russian troops, Jamala herself has been forced to leave her country.
On Monday she spoke with Israel’s KAN about her situation. Fans will appreciate the update that she and her two children are safe in Istanbul with Jamala’s sister.
Over the weekend Jamala shared a series of emotional Instagram posts that showed her and her two children crossing the border into Romania without her husband — who stayed behind to help with the war effort.
You can watch the KAN interview below. We’ve transcribed it after the Twitter embed.
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— ??? ????? (@kann_news) February 28, 2022
Where are you joining us from?
I arrived in Istanbul to my sister in this night.
When did you decide to leave Ukraine?
I decided to leave Ukraine, Kyiv, on February 24 in the evening when explosions were heard near to my house. We decided to go with my children to Western Ukraine — to Ternopil, and maybe Lviv. There we spent a night in a village [with] some people. We thought about staying there and waiting for some time [to see if] the situation clears up.
In the morning, 26th of February, I heard Russian fall in the Ternopil airport…
Were you afraid Russian forces would target you specifically because they know who you are?
I don’t know any confidence in everything. Even in 2016 when I went in Eurovision with my song “1944”, it was different. All in the Russia there was big information campaign against my family. I don’t feel safe now.
Now you feel safe?
I don’t know. Maybe. Because you know, I saw some lists or some rumours about there are people who has some list with persons who are [targets].
View this post on Instagram
You think you were one of the targets?
I don’t know. I told you that. There is no confidence in anything because I was at my home and I didn’t know that we were in this situation.
Who did you leave behind in Kyiv?
I left my husband and [his father].
They wanted to stay?
They help to mothers and kids to cross the border.
What do you think about the decision to ban Russia from the Eurovision?
I think it’s a right decision. In general any protest is a good. In this case, Eurovision is a big significant international contest. It will definitely be meaning something to them. I thank Eurovision for this decision.
But is this enough?
No.
What are your expectations from the international community?
First I expect from the international community that they will not be [indifferent].
During this time I was simply shocked how people from different parts of the world write me your phone numbers, address, and they offered to help. They gave so much love to me personally. It’s amazing, really.
Do you think you’ll be able to return to Kyiv soon?
Of course. of course. We don’t have any choice to lose our country. It’s insane. It’s insane really.
We hope you can do it soon.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for writing about this situation. It’s really important.
Better Jamala don”t tell she is half Armenian at Turkey.She will not be so welcomed by Turks
Oh thank God shes safe. But I’m not so happy either
My mother and father are still stuck there
She is guilty of this situation. She should shut up.
Go turn off your internet and crawl back to the basement where you should be.
Yet another Russian troll. You are not part of internationsl community anymore, feel free to leave the chat
I think that the situation in Ukraine has burst the Eurovision bubble and everything else. After 2 years of pandemic it is hard to believe that something like this is unfolding. God bless them all and their children.
Jamala winning over Kirkorov’s boy and his tedious screen back in Stockholm will always be one of the greatest moments in the contest’s history.
She won over Dami Im, Sergey wasn’t even close.
30 odd votes was close enough after his 361 televote haul..
ESC is not politics. She politized the contest with her dreadful song attacking the Russians. She should have been disqualified for double reasons, for political messages and for releasing her song in a concert before the date. EBU is accomplice of this war, and Jamala is one of the secondary causes.
Omg. She won fair and score. And you really dare to talk about someone attacking Russians?? Neither Jamala nor Ukraine is the aggressor here, and they were not in 1944 either
Sergey isn’t Kirkorov’s boy anymore. He ended his career after signing a declaration against Putin and the war. It seems that he has to leave the country.
I felt so sad to see Jamala with her kids fleeing on foot to the Romanian border on Instagram. Without make up, with casual clothes, with tears in her eyes, while few days prior we saw her dancing in Vidbir. Heartbreaking
Now I’m able to see Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente in a different light. Thank you Fabrizio & Ermal. Let us all give a minute of silence for all the poor innocent people who lost their lives in this horrible war. Curse you, Putin. I send my love to all Ukrainians <3
Breaking: She just held a press conference in Istanbul , she said :
”I never thought that i would come to Turkey as a refugee.I never thought i would relieve my grandmother’s history.”
”Fortunately i have a house in Turkey , I have an older sister. I feel at home.Of course I want to go back to my own home and i hope this process will end soon and everyone will go home.
She thanks again to all the people of Turkey.
Video of the press conferance is available at Twitter @Eurovisn_Turkey
she continues : ”At 6 am on February 26 , we awoke to the sounds of bombs again, because the nearby airport was being bombed. Then we decided to go towards the border and came to the Romanian border.When we reached the border , the Turks saved us.”
The person here in the comments still blaming Turkey you should be ashemed of yourself
All my love to Jamala and every Ukrainian, including those who are part of the Eurovision family, in these difficult times.
Anyone wanting to join me in downloading «We Don’t Wanna Put In» with Stephane & 3G (disqualified entry from Georgia 2009), making it rise on the charts? (Spotify , iTunes, etc)?
Since 2016, whenever there is an article about Jamala, it is about politics. Makes you think….
Does Putin pay you in Roubles or Bitcoin?
In Bitcoin. Roubles’ worth is going downhill.
Damn Jamala, inconveniencing our entertainment by *checks notes* being a refugee
I didn’t say she is wrong. Of course she is in big trouble right now. I just stated a fact. Grow up everyone.
-How political do you want Eurovision 2022 to be?
-Yes.
Politics were happening a month ago. Now you got people dying under thermobaric bombs. This is not politics but being human.
really sad to see her from performing, making appearances for events in Kyiv, then judging in Vidbir and then fleeing the war. So heartbreaking and it just shows you that like is so unpredictable. Yesterday was Syria, today is Ukraine, who knows tomorrow. No one is safe and we should protect people and protest against this war and aggresion.
By the way, Turkey has been very neutral with this war and they did not sanction Putin’s regime or any of the oligarchs. I guess for them money is above people.
They did the same to Cyprus, but no sanctions for them!
I heard Turkey is now blocking Russian ships from crossing the Dardanelles and the Bosporus.
Turkey has good relations both with Russia and Ukraine.Not sanctioning Russia shows Turkey is neutral
I which there were some way to support the Ukraine delegation financially. Some way to give them the best opportunity to sent their act. I’d be happy if someone held some kind of collection from us the ESC fans to donate to the Ukraine delegation. Much as a symbolic action.
love, love, peace, peace from Sweden
SAVE UKRAINE. STOP WAR! FREE RUSSIA AND BELARUS!
People of these 3 countries don’t deserve this.
People in belarus and russia should fight against the dictators.
I hope they do find courage to overthrow their dictators. They need people on the inside to step up.
People hated her for “being political”. She was simply telling the truth that people didn’t want to hear. Now it’s pointless to pretend that “everything’s fine”.
She was completely in the wrong to do that. She asked Maruv a ridiculously politically charged question in the most inappropriate setting and caused unnecessary issues for her which basically resulted in her not being able to compete at Eurovision. I sympathise with what’s going on now but she was still totally in the wrong to do that to Maruv. .
You are invited to go and f*^k yourself in your flat little as*. Really, if after all this woman and her people are going through you are still being petty about that Maruv question, I have nothing nicer to say to you.
You are a disgusting individual and you deserve every pain known to man. I really hope you get hit by a bus you nasty cu^t
is there a way to remove a troll in this chat?
By the hysterical response I guess that as* is REALLY flat indeed. That was a shot in the dark but I see I it hit in the most painful place. Thank you for making me laugh during those complicated times.
Childeren broke the internet safety password
I hope that one day she comes back to eurovision and writes about her own personal experience.
That’s so sad. I always do the joke with Jamala’s sentence, but this is not the time.
Stay strong Ukraine! My thoughts are with you =)
Unpopular opinion
Next year Jamala will ask ‘Is Kiev Ukraine?’
You are really disgusting.
You’re a vile human being.
I will be asking if you are alive, I hope I will get no answer from you back.
A horrible comment and equally horrible responses. The human race is just horrible. YOU ARE ALL VILE.
Is this comment and the answers in the same level of evilness for you? Then you are vile as well.
We are honored to host you in Turkey, Jamala.
I hope this helps people understand why Jamala asked Maruv if Crimea is Ukraine, and also stops any jokes about it.
Those with some brain will understand the level of repercussion some minorities in Ukraine have faced. Imagine them in WW2!
Some minorites support Germans during WW2.
Yes we get it but it was the wrong way to do it on live TV. It was the broadcaster’s job to examine if every act was ready to represent Ukraine and whether they had any ties with Russia but it wasn’t jamala’s job as a judge.
Good to know Jamala and her family is safe. Hopefully she can return home soon to join her husband.
“My father’s husband”
How progressive
Maybe she meant her husband’s father.
I think she was speaking about her father in law
The 1944 crime against humanity story flared up by the 2014 war outbreak is now overlayed by the 2022 atrocious bloodbath.
Forgive us, Ukraine and Ukrainian people, for letting Putin be a new Stalin-like murderer.
Hi, just a quick revision here – I think she said Ternopil, not Chernobyl. Ternopil is in the west of Ukraine, whereas Chernobyl is north and currently occupied by Russia. I also doubt they have a functioning airport in Chernobyl. Otherwise – thanks for writing out everything she said!
Thank you for flagging this! Fixed!
My friend from Afghanistan is there too. He currently stays one of the most beautiful cities in the world but he still hears imaginary bomb voices in his head and can’t get over what he went through in his country. Wars are the worst.
Praying for Ukraine , god bless all of you. Wishing peace for the whole world.
I’m sorry that you all have to experience all this. I send my love <3
Thank you Turkey for always opening your arms for the victims ,showing them a warm welcome and being a safe place for them. And they are preparing to close their bosphorus to Russia , thank you for bravely standing with Ukraine.God bless
Let’s pray for Ukraine , i believe these days will pass and everything will be good again.
lol. 😀 they opened their warm arms for armenian genocide´s victims as well, you think?
First of all, that was Ottoman Empire. Not Turkey.
The Ottoman Empire and Turkey is not the same thing since Turkey was founded in 1923, you better read some books.
Dear Lord, why will no one jump in and stop this madness! He will not use nucs. If he does, he has nothing left to conquer.
Stay strong Jamala! I am praying for your country and your family.
God bless all war victims… I hope that she stays safe with her children
She looks AWFUL, BROKEN. Sad to hear her husband’s out fighting…she’s left alone with her children.
I feel awful for her being a target. I hope she remains safe.