Rockstar, Soldier, Drone Operator: Boombox’s Legendary Return to Kyiv in Long-Awaited Concert

May 22, 2026 17:27 Updated May 22, 2026 17:51

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J. Thomas

Reporter

On May 16, 2026, the legendary Ukrainian rock band Boombox held their first solo concert in Kyiv in over four years. For a group that spent most of the last two decades on the road, filling the country's largest arenas with a unique blend of hard rock, funk and jazz sounds, this sold-out performance marked a highly anticipated return to the stage.

The demand was such that they added a second show, with the musicians even honoring tickets many in the crowd had purchased back in 2021, months before Russia’s full-scale invasion forced a total halt to domestic touring.

This appearance follows a period of profound transformation for lead singer Andrii Khlyvnyuk, who emerged as a global icon in the first weeks of the Russian invasion. On February 27, 2022, wearing fatigues and carrying an army-issued automatic rifle—having joined the Territorial Defense Forces just days earlier—he recorded an a cappella rendition of the folk classic "Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow"  in Kyiv’s Sofia Square.

Alive — Живий ♬

That viral performance became the foundation for the Pink Floyd collaboration "Hey Hey Rise Up," with royalties distributed among various charities, including the Hospitallers medical battalion. While the track achieved massive international recognition, Khlyvnyuk’s focus moved away from his musical career toward the immediate defense of the country. 

Today, the man on stage is an active-duty Sergeant in the Ukrainian Armed Forces serving as a drone operator. He traveled to the capital directly from the front to perform, arriving in Kyiv just forty-eight hours before taking the stage. "Two days ago, I arrived from the Kherson region," Khlyvnyuk said in an exclusive interview with UNITED24 Media. "And I’ll go back, I think, the day after tomorrow... that’s a day off, definitely."

Such is the relentless pace that headlining a two-night run is considered a ‘day off’ before returning to the war.

Who We Were — Ким ми були ♬

Logistical management of Boombox falls to producer Oleksii Sohomonov, whose daily life is split among three demanding roles. "Almost five years ago, I volunteered to join the Defense Forces of Ukraine, and now I am balancing three jobs," he explains. "As a volunteer soldier, as the band's producer, and I work as a volunteer for the Andrii Khlyvnyuk Fund." 

The fund serves as a direct pipeline to the front, including supporting Khlyvnyuk’s own unit. To date, the foundation has leveraged the band's global platform to purchase and deploy specialized equipment, including a fleet of Punisher reconnaissance drones. 

This commitment to service extends to other members of Boombox who have traded their instruments for combat roles. As Khlyvnyuk notes, "two of my fellow co-workers are serving as well... One is a fixed-wing drone operator, and the other is in an anti-aircraft unit."

With their own crew actively defending against aerial threats from Russia, the band understands exactly what is at stake when gathering thousands of fans in one place.

Downpour — Злива ♬

When asked about the difficulties of organizing an event amid massive daytime waves of Russian drone and missile attacks, Khlyvnyuk answers directly: "It’s extraordinary for sure." While the band made two appearances at the Atlas Festival  in recent years, they have otherwise avoided solo headline shows in the capital, a decision Sohomonov attributes to public safety. 

"We haven't played in Ukraine for almost five years," explains Sohomonov. "We didn't play for several reasons. The first and foremost is safety. On this particular site, it’s very good that there is a very large bomb shelter. So, we are a little bit more at ease.”

That shift finally came with the selection of the Blockbuster Mall as the venue for their two-night performance, which features a bomb shelter certified to hold 25,000 people. On May 17, during the second show, an early air raid alert sent crowds into the shelter, but thankfully, the threat passed before the performance began.

The music went on without interruption, and fans were able to enjoy the debut of songs from the band’s new album, Zhyvyi, recorded last autumn during a brief leave in a live, two-day session at a studio in Scotland—a rare creative escape for a band scattered by service and forced to create their songs on the spot without the luxury of rehearsal. 

Secret Code — Таємний код ♬

The mission for these Kyiv shows is for the Fund to buy four “Sych” UAV systems—long-range, EW-resistant aircraft—alongside critical hardware like “Dzyga” drone detectors and mobile power stations. While the heavy drones are destined for elite units like the 212 TEAM, the 426th Unmanned Systems Battalion, and the “Predator” Combined Brigade, the fund has already begun distributing immediate aid to other frontline units, including the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), and the 92nd Assault Brigade.

Sohomonov describes the operation: “We have a transparent track record of purchasing high-performance Starlink charging stations and generators.”

This infrastructure supports a fundraising total that continues to grow as the band's international reach expands.

Khlyvnyuk drives this fundraising effort through a grueling schedule of performances conducted during his military leave. “I play twice a year abroad. Already 10, maybe 15, 20 shows,” he explains regarding the non-commercial tours. “Gather donations for the army, and it's going very well—more than $4 million, as of today, has been raised and then distributed to the army units, to different brigades.”

Some of the investments are directed toward drones that represent the technical evolution of Khlyvnyuk’s unit. “We started as Mavic drone operators. Now my unit operates everything from these old-school Mavics to FP-2s and different fixed-wing or bomber drones.”

Empires Will Fall — Імперії впадуть ♬

For the members of Boombox, joining the fight is simply what it takes to make sure this war ends on Ukraine’s terms. While they use their platform to fund and field Ukrainian-made technology—from specialized “Sych” systems to tactical “FP-2” drones—the ultimate objective remains unchanged. “What is our goal? Believe me, we want all of this to end very much. But not at the cost of our country,” Sohomonov says. 

For fans like Iryna, who held onto her tickets for over four years after the 2022 Russian invasion postponed the original tour, the concert was a vital act of solidarity. “You feel this unity... you feel that you are together, and you have common struggles.” By processing these feelings as a collective, Iryna says fans “help each other in this war to feel real emotions” and remind one another they aren't alone.

The return to the stage in Kyiv serves as a brief moment of unity for a city and country under constant threat, but Khlyvnyuk is quick to underscore the stakes:

"To each and every one of them who came for the show. It's not just a contribution and a donation. It's a risk as well, unfortunately. This is why we don't play a lot in Ukraine right now. I hope the situation will change, and we're doing the best, all we can, to change the situation."

Watch the full UNITED24 Media exclusive interview with Boombox lead singer Andrii Khlyvnyuk.

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