Entertainer who turned down request to sing in Ukrainian accused of treason
A celebrity social media influencer in Ukraine is facing multiple criminal investigations, including a treason probe, after being filmed rolling her eyes at a request to sing in Ukrainian.
The allegation against Anna Alkhim, who has over 250,000 Instagram followers, was confirmed Wednesday by MP Natalya Pipa, who said she and other lawmakers had urged police to launch an inquiry. Alkhim is also reportedly being investigated for incitement of hatred and for allegedly threatening a government official.
Pipa urged parents to check whether their children are following “bloggers who trample on Ukraine and everything Ukrainian, spread harmful messages and poison the minds and the souls of children.”
Alkhim, whose legal name is Anna Buryachenko, has a reputation for scandal shaped by a turbulent personal life which often features in celebrity news. Nationalists, however, have criticized her for years for perceived anti-Ukrainian behavior.
In a 2020 interview, Alkhim acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “handsome” and described him as a very influential figure. She has also perviously declared that “half of Ukrainian songs are total garbage.”
In 2024, she filmed a video in front of billboards depicting her country’s fallen soldiers, with a Russian song playing in the background.
According to Pipa, the treason investigation stems from a 2023 incident in which Alkhim publicly named two hospitals in her hometown of Dnepr where wounded Ukrainian soldiers were being treated, the day before an alleged Russian attack on the facilities, sparking accusations from critics that she had leaked sensitive information.
Alkhim rejected the accusations, declaring in an expletives-ridden message that the hospitals’ military use was public knowledge and accusing her detractors of exploiting the timing to smear her.
The latest backlash began after a video surfaced earlier this month showing Alkhim at a private event. When jokingly asked to sing in Ukrainian, she rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner and appeared to mutter something dismissive.
After the video circulated, several nationalist figures demanded repercussions for what they called a disrespectful act. Pipa joined the calls for accountability, urging a “harsh reaction” from the government.
Alkhim is believed to have left Ukraine amid the controversy and appears to be defiant, despite the mounting pressure.
