Solutions to win: Okean Elzy band rocks Kyiv and raises millions for army and frontline medics
During the week of October 11–16, 2024, the Kyiv Sports Palace was transformed into an extraordinary musical event site – a series of five "Okean Elzy" concerts celebrating the band's 30th anniversary. As an added act of goodwill, the musicians raised 10.2 million hryvnias [almost $250,000 – ed.] to support the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
The band reported that on its Facebook page.
The musicians stated that these performances not only broke a new record on stage but also had a crucial charitable purpose of supporting the Ukrainian Defense Forces during times of war.
The "Okean Elzy: 30 Years. That Day" concert series evoked strong emotions and fostered a sense of unity among tens of thousands of attendees. But their impact in aiding Ukrainian defenders was even more noteworthy. A total of 10,557,000 hryvnias were raised to support the military.
Photo: Facebook / Okean Elzy
"All of you and I became not just participants in the event when we were together again in an incredible atmosphere of warmth, sincerity, and mutual support, but also helped our defenders for 10,557,000 hryvnias," the group emphasized.
The official amount generated from ticket sales amounted to 10,200,000 hryvnias, which will be allocated towards acquiring essential equipment and machinery for Ukraine's armed forces units. This process is conducted in cooperation with brigade leaders to ensure a thorough assessment of military needs. Once all transfer procedures have been finalized, the public will have access to purchase reports through the band's official channels.
Furthermore, 357,000 hryvnias worth of charity merchandise was successfully sold during the concerts. These proceeds will be utilized for the joint initiative "Okean Elzy" by SoftServe company and Open Eyes fund, which seeks to acquire 30 medical vehicles for combat medics on the frontlines.
Photo: Facebook / Okean Elzy
"The first car has already been handed over to the medics of the 197th separate rifle battalion of the 79th separate assault brigade," the musicians noted.
For reference:
In July 2022, the band "Okean Elzy" officially released a music video for their song "Flowers of Mine Zones," written several years prior. Profits from the music video and song on various music platforms were donated to the "Come Back Alive" fund for pickups used by the Ukrainian military.
Furthermore, it has been announced that the musical group "Okean Elzy" has released a new rendition of their famous song to support the "We Live Here" campaign to assist Ukrainian sappers. The purpose of this campaign, organized by Kyivstar and the "Come Back Alive" fund, is to gather a total of 175,000,000 hryvnias to provide transportation and essential equipment for the146 engineering and sapper teams who are part of the Armed Forces Support Forces.
In addition, it was reported that the Okean Elzy band recorded the song "City of Mary," which was dedicated to the heroic defenders of Mariupol.