- Year of formation – 1988
- City – Lviv (Ukraine)
- Language – Ukrainian
- Genre – rock 'n' roll, punk rock, blues rock, jazz rock, reggae
Braty Hadiukiny is a Ukrainian rock band from Lviv that has become a true musical legend over the course of its career. Today, famous rock festivals are named after the band's songs, fellow musicians write books about them, and a film about Braty Hadiukiny is scheduled for release in 2027.
Band lineup as of 2026:
- Kostiantyn Dunets – new vocalist (frontman and bass guitarist of the band Medovyi Polyn);
- Andrii Partyka – guitar;
- Pavlo Krakhmaliov – keyboards, vocals;
- Ihor Melnychuk – bass guitar, vocals;
- Andrii Skachko-Kudasov – guitar.
History of Formation
Over their decades of existence, Braty Hadiukiny have experienced almost everything that can befall an iconic rock band: rapid success, massive popularity, the loss of a frontman, long hiatuses, and multiple returns to the stage. The story began in 1988, when—at a turning point in history—the transformation of several rock groups in Lviv led to the emergence of this new band.
Thus, a unique lineup emerged—blending show, folk, punk, reggae, and satirical rock—featuring Serhiy Kuzminsky (known as Kuzya) on vocals, keyboards, and songwriting; Oleksandr Yemets (or Shulya) on saxophone; guitarist Andriy Partyka; drummer Mykhailo Lundin; and bassist/vocalist Oleksandr Hamburg.
A significant impetus for the band's formation occurred in early May 1988. Shulya and Kuzya, accompanied by Sashko "Rebyonok" Luhin, traveled to Kyiv for the "Rock in the Struggle for Peace" festival. There, they saw a performance by the band Vopli Vidopliasova; the group's energy and musical aesthetic resonated deeply with them. This experience served as a key catalyst for the creation of the future Hadyukiny.
Choosing the Name
The idea to name the new band "Braty Hadyukiny" (The Hadyukin Brothers) came from Shulya. One source of inspiration was a short story by Soviet children's author Viktor Dragunsky titled "The Death of Spy Hadyukin," written in the 1960s.
The name also took on an additional layer of meaning due to a sensational story from that time involving the Ovechkin brothers—musicians from Irkutsk who attempted to hijack a passenger airliner. This incident was widely discussed across the USSR, and the associations it evoked played a role in the final choice of the band's name.
The band's image was also shaped by Kuzia’s fascination with the 1980 musical comedy *The Blues Brothers*. Ultimately, a combination of various ideas, associations, and cultural references coalesced into a single name: *Braty Hadiukiny* (The Viper Brothers).
Creative Journey
Shulia wrote the band's initial ironic, punk-infused rock 'n' roll songs. *Braty Hadiukiny* made their debut in August 1988. The concert took place in the basement of "Roks"—the Lviv Railway’s House of Science and Creativity—alongside the group *Stantsiia Plastychnoi Mystyfikatsii* (Station of Plastic Mystification).
The band quickly realized which direction to take next. At the "Syrok-89" festival, it was their upbeat songs performed in the Lemko dialect that elicited the most enthusiastic audience response, whereas their Russian-language punk set met with a much cooler reception. In response, the musicians promptly prepared an all-Ukrainian program titled "Our Answer to Kobzon" and effectively began carving out their own niche in the Ukrainian rock 'n' roll scene.
Early Albums
In May 1989, *Hadiukiny* recorded their debut album, *Vsio Chotko!* ("Everything's Cool!"), and subsequently produced five songs for the artist Sestra Vika. Next came the "Chervona Ruta" festival in Chernivtsi, where the band took second place.
In December 1991, the new album *We Are Lads from Banderstadt* (*My khloptsi z Banderstadtu*) was presented, and about six months later, the Audio Ukraina company released it on vinyl.
During this period, Braty Hadiukiny gradually evolved into a large-scale creative collective. Under the leadership of Olena Markhasiova, it became a platform for other Lviv-based bands—notably Plach Yeremii, Mertvyi Piven, and Klub Shanuvalnykiv Chaiu. In September, the musicians organized a major rock event—the "We Won't Drink Away Ukraine" (*Ne Propiemo Ukrainu*) concert marathon—after which they took a hiatus of about a year and a half.
Return in 1994
In early 1994, Braty Hadiukiny reunited and began recording new material. However, in the initial stage, the band worked without its leader, Serhiy Kuzminskyi, who was in Belgium at the time undergoing medical treatment.
In July 1994, the band—now with its full lineup—presented excerpts from their new program, *Bulo Ne Liubyty* ("It Was Impossible Not to Love"). Six months later, Caravan CD released it on CD, while the Garba music collective released it on cassette. Around the same time, another member, Yuliia Donchenko, left the group; guitarist Andrii Partyka departed along with her.
In December 1995, commissioned by Caravan CD, the band began work on a new album titled *Bye, Bye, Mila*. At the same time, the musicians re-recorded the album *Vsyo Chotko!* for CD for the third time. It was then, too, that they acquired their own recording studio—"Hadyukiny Records.”
The Early 2000s
In the spring of 2000, Braty Hadyukiny made their presence felt once again. The Rostok Records label released a live CD titled *NA!ZHYVO* (Live!), featuring recordings of performances from 1994–1995. Subsequently, their albums *My Khloptsi z Banderstadtu* (We Are Lads from Banderstadt) and *Bulo ne Liubyty* (It Was Impossible Not to Love) were also reissued on CD.
During that period, the musicians explained why they had no plans to resume work with the classic lineup. In their view, the band had once possessed a unique charisma and power—characteristic of the great rock acts of the past—and they did not wish to replicate that years later without the original members. They felt it was wrong to take the stage merely to evoke nostalgia for their own youth.
Another Comeback
However, in January 2006, the band played to a packed house at the Kyiv Palace of Sports. The musicians emphasized once again that this was a one-off performance and not a full-scale revival. Yet, this very concert demonstrated just how eagerly the audience had awaited their return.
Despite temperatures dropping to minus 28 degrees Celsius, the Palace of Sports was filled with around 12,000 spectators. The concert was impressive in its scale, energy, and positive atmosphere; the media hailed it as the "concert of the year" and the "comeback of the century." Following the Kyiv show, Braty Hadyukiny performed a few more concerts.
However, 2009 brought tragic news to all the band's fans. Serhiy Kuzminskyi passed away following a severe illness. After the musician's death, the group's future was once again thrown into serious doubt.
Continuing the Story
In 2013, the band members decided to return to the stage. Talk of a comeback intensified following the Serhiy Kuzminskyi tribute concert, "Vin Vernuvsia Domiv" (He Returned Home). During the event, friends, colleagues, and fans of Braty Hadiukiny repeatedly urged the musicians to carry on the band's legacy.
Subsequently, a new album titled *Made in Ukraine* was released, demonstrating that the group was capable of evolving even after the loss of its frontman and long hiatuses.
In 2019, the band's discography expanded with another record, *Smikh i Hrikh* (Laughter and Sin). Future plans were significantly altered by the COVID-19 pandemic; restrictions made concert activity sporadic, though the musicians occasionally appeared in online concerts and at local events.
The Current Phase
With the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Braty Hadiukiny took an extended creative hiatus regarding the release of new full-length albums and large-scale commercial tours. During this period, the musicians focused much more on volunteering, performing for the military, and participating in select charity events. At the same time, the band was rethinking its future direction. Ultimately, in 2026, the legendary group returned to the big stage with a revamped lineup. The musicians announced new material and a series of concerts as part of a tour across Ukraine.
In this modern iteration, Braty Hadiukiny retain their signature blend of punk, blues, reggae, funk, rock 'n' roll, and folk—along with their trademark ironic lyrics—while opening a new chapter in their history following numerous hiatuses and the profound loss of Serhiy Kuzminsky. A significant change was the finalization of the new vocal lineup; Kostyantyn Dunets stepped in as the band's full-fledged frontman, injecting fresh stage energy into their music. Simultaneously, original-generation guitarist Andriy Partyka rejoined the group.
Another fundamental shift concerns language. The musicians publicly announced that they would completely abandon the use of *surzhyk* (a mixed Ukrainian-Russian vernacular) in their new songs. What had long been a distinctive artistic feature of the band is no longer considered appropriate in the modern context; they have chosen to replace it with standard Ukrainian and new thematic emphases.
Musical Style and Song Themes
The style and themes of Braty Hadiukiny have become a unique phenomenon in Ukrainian culture. The band was among the first to systematically combine Western musical traditions with a distinct Galician flavor, local linguistic nuances, and sharp irony.
It is difficult to pin the band’s music down to a single genre. Their signature sound took shape at the intersection of several styles—blues-rock and rhythm and blues, reggae and ska, punk rock and folk. This very eclecticism was one of the reasons the band could never be confused with other Ukrainian rock groups.
The themes of their work also evolved alongside the musicians themselves.
The Serhiy Kuzminsky Era
Material from 1988–2013 was closely tied to *Surzhyk* (a mixed Ukrainian-Russian vernacular), urban folklore, marginal characters, and an ironic view of reality. Lyrics were often written in Lviv *hvara* (local dialect) and *Surzhyk*; this was not a random linguistic choice, but a deliberate artistic device. Through this language, the band satirized Soviet kitsch, the absurdity of everyday life, and post-Soviet chaos.
The songs featured local outcasts, drunks, petty criminals, rockers, and party-goers—characters instantly recognizable in the urban environment of that time.
2014–2026
New times brought a shift in focus. Following the band's return, the themes became more serious. Philosophical motifs began to feature increasingly prominently in their work....Ukrainian identity emerges, the war is depicted, support for the military is felt, and a re-evaluation of one’s own history takes place.
This transformation became particularly pronounced after 2022, when issues of language, cultural self-identification, and the war moved to the forefront of our society.
Social Activism and Civic Stance
The civic stance of Braty Hadiukiny was reflected in their work from the very beginning. The band formed during the wave of national awakening in the late 1980s and gradually evolved from the rebellious anti-Soviet underground to active participation in the volunteer movement.
The musicians consistently supported Ukraine’s democratic development. Over the years, they participated in significant patriotic events, performed on the Maidan, and supported the Revolution of Dignity.
Following the onset of Russian aggression in 2014, the band dedicated a significant portion of its efforts to supporting the Ukrainian army. Since 2022, the musicians have focused even more heavily on volunteering, fundraising for the Defense Forces of Ukraine, and performing specifically for military personnel and medical workers.
Discography (studio albums):
- "Vsio Chotko!" (1989, cassette);
- "My – Khloptsi z Banderstadtu" (1991, LP);
- "Bulo ne Liubyty" (1994, cassette);
- "Shchaslyvoi Dorohy!" (Bye, Bye, Darling!)” (1996, CD);
- Made in Ukraine (2014);
- “Laughter and Sin” (2019).
Most famous hits:
- “Fine City of Ternopil”;
- “Dudes, Everything’s Cool”;
- “Junkies in the Garden”;
- “Moonlight of Your Body”;
- “We Are Lads from Banderstadt”;
- “Arrivederci, Roma”.
Awards and honors:
- 2nd Prize in the rock music category at the “Chervona Ruta” All-Ukrainian Festival, 1989;
- YUNA-2018 (special category “For Special Achievements”);
- “National Legend of Ukraine,” 2026 (awarded to the band’s leader, Serhiy Kuzminsky, posthumously).
Interesting facts:
- the story of Braty Hadiukiny may soon be adapted for the screen. Plans are underway to produce a feature film based on Yuriy Roketskyi’s book *Vsyo Chotko* (Everything’s Cool), released in 2024. Solar Media Entertainment will handle production. The film’s premiere is scheduled for autumn 2027;
- at one point, the band received an invitation from Alla Pugacheva to perform at her “Christmas Meetings” event. It is said that the artist was so impressed by the band's performance in Lviv that she decided to invite the musicians to participate in her project after the concert;
- over the course of their career, the musicians have performed on dozens of major stages. The band has held concerts across Ukraine, as well as in Belgium and Canada;
- in July 2017, at the Faine Misto festival, around 15,000 people sang the hit song "Faine Misto Ternopil" in unison. This massive performance set a festival record and was subsequently entered into the city's Book of Records.
