Khuy Voyne!

Khuy Voyne! (also transliterated as Hui Voine; Russian: Хуй войне!, IPA: [ˈxuj vɐjˈnʲe], lit. 'Dick to the war' which can be translated as 'Fuck war,' meaning 'no war' without sexual connotation) is a pacifist phrase. It was first used publicly by Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. on February 25th, 2003, during a performance of "All the Things She Said" on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[1]

Origins and the Iraq War

Around the time of t.A.T.u.'s performance, anti-war narratives were actively suppressed by major United States television broadcasters as the nation prepared for the Iraq War.[2] Prior to the invasion of Iraq, many significant figures in American pop culture spoke out against the potential start of war. In December 2002, more than 100 influential Hollywood actors, directors, and producers formed the group Artists United to Win Without War.[3] The group later released an open letter to President George W. Bush expressing their opposition to the war.[4]

During a performance with Kid Rock at the 45th Grammy Awards, Sheryl Crow wore a large peace sign and a guitar strap bearing the slogan "No War."[5] Following Crow's statement, an American promoter suggested to t.A.T.u.'s producer Ivan Shapovalov that the duo incorporate an anti-war statement into their performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, though it was Shapovalov who decided to use "Khuy Voyne" instead of "No War." On their February 25th, 2003, performance on The Tonight Show, t.A.T.u. mocked NBC's insistence that they neither kiss nor comment on the Iraq War by performing "All the Things She Said" from their first English album 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane in white T-shirts that bore the slogan across the front, and by blocking their faces with their hands as they kissed during a break in their performance. The stunt prompted NBC to ban t.A.T.u. from any future performances, though it did also help the duo's international record sales.[6]

On February 26, when the shirts were banned from Jimmy Kimmel Live! and replaced with ones that said "Censored", they wrote the slogan on Jimmy Kimmel's hand.[7] The duo also wore the shirts to TRL on March 3 and Last Call with Carson Daly on March 5.

The documentary Anatomy of t.A.T.u. states that when the slogan was being created, Shapovalov said that it is a Russian slang way to say "No to War" (Нет войне!), however the slang translations may vary to "Dick to War" (word-by-word) or a creative way of saying "Fuck War".

Usage during Russo-Ukrainian war

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the phrase became an anti-war slogan (along with “No to War” — «Нет войне»), often used at protest rallies both within and outside Russia. The Russian online media outlet Mediazona later launched a podcast of the same name.[8] The podcast's founder is Russian journalist Pyotr Ruzavin, who currently resides in Ukraine with his wife, Ukrainian journalist Natalia Gumenyuk.[9]

On May 22nd, 2022, audience members at a Kis-kis concert in Saint Petersburg chanted "Khuy Voyne!".[10][11] Video footage of the moment went viral.

In October 2022, activist Regina Mishchenko was arrested in Saint Petersburg for wearing a T-shirt with the slogan "Khuy Voyne."[12] In January 2023, she was issued a fine of 50,000 rubles, at the time equivalent to US$587.12.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ t.A.T.u. - All The Things She Said Live Jay Leno 2003, Youtube
  2. ^ Day, Julia (2003-04-01). "Mirror scoops sacked NBC man". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ^ MacGregor, Hilary E. (2002-12-10). "Speaking against war". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ^ "Celebs Sound Off On Iraq - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2002-12-10. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ^ Pareles, Jon (2003-02-24). "Newcomer Has a Big Night At Grammy Awards Ceremony". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ^ A Song for Europe: Popular Music and Politics in the Eurovision Song Contest
  7. ^ Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Episode dated 26 February 2003
  8. ^ "Хуй войне". Mediazona (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  9. ^ "Хуй войне". Медиазона (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ^ Виноградова, Ульяна (2022-05-24). "На концерте "Кис-Кис" в Санкт-Петербурге сотни людей скандировали "Х@й войне!" Видео стало вирусным". OBOZ.UA (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ^ Хайрутдинов, Тимур (2023-03-15). "Группа «Кис-кис» отменила концертный тур в России". «Бумага» (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ^ "Петербург: жительницу задержали за футболку с надписью "Х*й войне"". Север.Реалии (in Russian). 2022-10-29. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ^ "В Петербурге активистку оштрафовали на 50 тысяч рублей за футболку с надписью «Хуй войне»". Новая газета Европа. 2023-01-16. Retrieved 2026-02-23.
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