Валентин Стрыкало (Valentin Strikalo)

Valentin Strikalo is a Ukrainian musical project founded by Yuri Kaplan in 2010. The name originated as an internet joke — inspired by the studio My Duck's Vision, Kaplan had earlier recorded comedic video addresses to Russian and Ukrainian show-business stars under the persona of a naive small-town guy called «Valentin Strikalo from the village of Buriltsevo». The character's popularity online eventually led Kaplan to turn it into a real band.

The group's lineup shifted several times over the years while Kaplan remained the constant frontman and creative core. Musically, Valentin Strikalo blended rock with pop, electronic, and R&B influences, producing songs that ranged from anthemic and danceable to melancholic and ironic, often carrying dark or sarcastic humor beneath catchy melodies. Tracks like «Наше лето», «Кайен», and «Дешёвые драмы» became widely known across Russian-speaking audiences for their blend of accessible hooks and biting, sometimes provocative lyrics.

The band was active through the 2010s, with its final lineup changes occurring in 2015, and performed its last concerts in the summer of 2018 before Kaplan announced the project's closure in 2019. Despite a relatively short active period, Valentin Strikalo left a notable mark on post-Soviet alternative rock and pop scenes, remembered for its distinctive mix of irony, melody, and unfiltered commentary on everyday relationships and social attitudes.