Ukraine`s Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in Italy on Saturday with their entry "Stefania", riding a wave of public support to claim an emotional victory that was welcomed by the country`s president. 
 
Sung in Ukrainian, the winning song fused rap with traditional folk music and was a tribute to band frontman Oleh Psiuk`s mother. 
 
The bookmakers had made Kalush Orchestra the clear favourite for the annual contest, which normally draws a television audience of close to 200 million, based in part on popular sympathy for Ukraine following Russia`s invasion in February. 
 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was quick to offer his congratulations. 
 
"Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year Ukraine will host the Eurovision song contest," he said in an online message. The winners traditionally get to host the event the following year.

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you have melted our hearts, friends <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eurovision?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eurovision</a> 💛💙... 
 
...and it matters the world to us during this time 💔 
 
we send all your love and support to our brave freedom defenders at Azovstal and along the frontline 
 
congrats, KALUSH Orchestra 🏆🇺🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveMariupol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaveMariupol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveAzovstal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaveAzovstal</a> <a href="https://t.co/Vt7WzpMHFQ">pic.twitter.com/Vt7WzpMHFQ</a>
— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ukraine/status/1525612438661615617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"I thank the Kalush Orchestra for this victory and everyone who gave us your votes! I am sure that the sound of victory in the battle with the enemy is not far off," he added. 
 
Ukraine were in fourth place based on jury voting but claimed victory with a commanding lead in viewer voting. Britain`s Sam Ryder finished second, while Chanel of Spain finished third. 
 
It is the third time that Ukraine has won the annual competition. 
 
The band`s frontman made a plea for the city of Mariupol and its Azovstal plant at the end of their appearance. 
"Please help Ukraine, Mariupol. Help Azovstal right now," Psiuk shouted from the front of the stage. 
 
The European Broadcasting Union, which organises the contest, said no action would be taken against the band for using the stage to make a statement. 
 
"We understand the deep feelings around Ukraine at this moment and believe the comments of the Kalush Orchestra and other artists expressing support for the Ukrainian people to be humanitarian rather than political in nature," the EBU said in a statement.

Ukraine`s Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in Italy on Saturday with their entry "Stefania", riding a wave of public support to claim an emotional victory that was welcomed by the country`s president.

Ukraine`s Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Song Contest in Italy on Saturday with their entry "Stefania", riding a wave of public support to claim an emotional victory that was welcomed by the country`s president. Sung in Ukrainian, the winning song fused rap with traditional folk music and was a tribute to band frontman Oleh Psiuk`s mother. The bookmakers had made Kalush Orchestra the clear favourite for the annual contest, which normally draws a television audience of close to 200 million, based in part on popular sympathy for Ukraine following Russia`s invasion in February. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was quick to offer his congratulations. "Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year Ukraine will host the Eurovision song contest," he said in an online message. The winners traditionally get to host the event the following year. you have melted our hearts, friends #Eurovision 💛💙... ...and it matters the world to us during this time 💔 we send all your love and support to our brave freedom defenders at Azovstal and along the frontline congrats, KALUSH Orchestra 🏆🇺🇦 #SaveMariupol #SaveAzovstal pic.twitter.com/Vt7WzpMHFQ — Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) May 14, 2022 × "I thank the Kalush Orchestra for this victory and everyone who gave us your votes! I am sure that the sound of victory in the battle with the enemy is not far off," he added. Ukraine were in fourth place based on jury voting but claimed victory with a commanding lead in viewer voting. Britain`s Sam Ryder finished second, while Chanel of Spain finished third. It is the third time that Ukraine has won the annual competition. The band`s frontman made a plea for the city of Mariupol and its Azovstal plant at the end of their appearance. "Please help Ukraine, Mariupol. Help Azovstal right now," Psiuk shouted from the front of the stage. The European Broadcasting Union, which organises the contest, said no action would be taken against the band for using the stage to make a statement. "We understand the deep feelings around Ukraine at this moment and believe the comments of the Kalush Orchestra and other artists expressing support for the Ukrainian people to be humanitarian rather than political in nature," the EBU said in a statement.

Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra wins Eurovision amid Russian invasion

Topping the Eurovision leaderboard is a dream for many international music acts but for Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, the glitz of the song contest seems a long way off. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Operating out of western Ukraine, lead singer Oleh Psiuk has traded the stage to run a 20-strong volunteer group, supplying medicines and helping people flee the war. One of his band members is serving in the territorial defence unit.

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On Monday, betting aggregate site Oddschecker put the group a firm favourite to win this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, but Psiuk is not ready to celebrate. "I cannot enjoy it while I am worried for my loved ones. The war separated me and my girlfriend. She is 300kms (186 miles)away from me. We cannot meet because it is very dangerous," he told Reuters. 
 
"She sits in a bunker while I am here and air raid sirens are constantly on." He said his girlfriend has been making Molotov cocktails as part of defence efforts. 
 
The band members are rehearsing separately, but plan to meet soon in Lviv to practise their entry "Stefania", which Psiuk said had become an anthem for Ukrainians during the war. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
"No matter under what circumstance we will go to the Eurovision, I will try to be useful for Ukraine. Even if it (war) is all over in the nearest future, it won’t be easy anyway because we will need a lot of time to rebuild. The country is in ruins," he said. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
The Eurovision final, one of the world`s largest televised events, takes place in Turin, Italy on May 14. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
If Kalush Orchestra win, Ukraine will earn the right to host the 2023 contest. The country won Eurovision in 2016, when Crimean Tatar Susana Jamaladinova of Ukraine, known as Jamala, triumphed with a song about former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin`s deportation of hundreds of thousands of people from her Black Sea homeland, two years after Russia annexed the territory. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
The following year, host Ukraine barred Russia from taking part. Russia has also been banned from the 2022 contest, after Ukraine and European public broadcasters called for them to be expelled. 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tensions with Russia had cast a shadow over Ukraine’s 2022 entry even before Moscow launched what it describes as a "special operation" to demilitarise its neighbour. Kalush Orchestra replaced Ukraine’s original act, Alina Pash, after a row about her 2015 visit to Crimea. 
 
For Psiuk, Kalush Orchestra’s Eurovision fame is an opportunity to spread awareness. 
 
"If you think it will not happen to your country, there are no guarantees for that. We also thought that it would not happen to us. That is why let’s stop it as soon as possible," he said. 
 
"We want peace to finally come to Ukraine.”

Topping the Eurovision leaderboard is a dream for many international music acts but for Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, the glitz of the song contest seems a long way off.

Topping the Eurovision leaderboard is a dream for many international music acts but for Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, the glitz of the song contest seems a long way off. Operating out of western Ukraine, lead singer Oleh Psiuk has traded the stage to run a 20-strong volunteer group, supplying medicines and helping people flee the war. One of his band members is serving in the territorial defence unit. Benedict Cumberbatch says he hopes to house Ukrainian refugees On Monday, betting aggregate site Oddschecker put the group a firm favourite to win this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, but Psiuk is not ready to celebrate. "I cannot enjoy it while I am worried for my loved ones. The war separated me and my girlfriend. She is 300kms (186 miles)away from me. We cannot meet because it is very dangerous," he told Reuters. "She sits in a bunker while I am here and air raid sirens are constantly on." He said his girlfriend has been making Molotov cocktails as part of defence efforts. The band members are rehearsing separately, but plan to meet soon in Lviv to practise their entry "Stefania", which Psiuk said had become an anthem for Ukrainians during the war. "No matter under what circumstance we will go to the Eurovision, I will try to be useful for Ukraine. Even if it (war) is all over in the nearest future, it won’t be easy anyway because we will need a lot of time to rebuild. The country is in ruins," he said. The Eurovision final, one of the world`s largest televised events, takes place in Turin, Italy on May 14. If Kalush Orchestra win, Ukraine will earn the right to host the 2023 contest. The country won Eurovision in 2016, when Crimean Tatar Susana Jamaladinova of Ukraine, known as Jamala, triumphed with a song about former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin`s deportation of hundreds of thousands of people from her Black Sea homeland, two years after Russia annexed the territory. The following year, host Ukraine barred Russia from taking part. Russia has also been banned from the 2022 contest, after Ukraine and European public broadcasters called for them to be expelled. Tensions with Russia had cast a shadow over Ukraine’s 2022 entry even before Moscow launched what it describes as a "special operation" to demilitarise its neighbour. Kalush Orchestra replaced Ukraine’s original act, Alina Pash, after a row about her 2015 visit to Crimea. For Psiuk, Kalush Orchestra’s Eurovision fame is an opportunity to spread awareness. "If you think it will not happen to your country, there are no guarantees for that. We also thought that it would not happen to us. That is why let’s stop it as soon as possible," he said. "We want peace to finally come to Ukraine.”

Eurovision favourites, Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra join war effort

Russia will not be allowed to participate in the final of this year`s Eurovision song contest, the organiser said on Friday, after Ukraine and several other European public broadcasters had called for Russia to be expelled. 
 
"The decision reflects concern that, in the light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year`s contest would bring the competition into disrepute," the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said in a statement. 
 
Finland said on Friday it would not send contestants to the final if Russia was allowed to participate. Public broadcasters in Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Norway had all urged the EBU to expel Russia. 
 
Russian military forces on Thursday began an invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, prompting the imposition of economic sanctions by Western powers, as well as the withdrawal of major international sporting events from Russia. 
 
The Eurovision final, one of the world`s largest televised events, takes place in Turin, Italy, on May 14. 
 
Russia, which had yet to put forward a contestant this year, has participated 23 times since its first appearance in 1994 and won the contest in 2008. 
The chairman of Ukraine`s public broadcasting company Suspilne, Mykola Chernotytsky, wrote to the EBU saying that "Russia`s participation, as an aggressor and violator of international law, in this year`s Eurovision undermines the very idea of the competition". 
 
He said Russia`s state broadcaster was a "leading element of the Russian government`s information war against Ukraine". 
 
Russia was one of the favourites for the competition in 2016, when Crimean Tatar Susana Jamaladinova of Ukraine, known as Jamala, unexpectedly won with a song about Soviet leader Joseph Stalin`s deportation of hundreds of thousands of people from her Black Sea homeland, two years after Russia annexed the territory. 
 
The following year, as host of the finals, Ukraine barred Russia entry from entering.

Russia will not be allowed to participate in the final of this year`s Eurovision song contest, the organiser said on Friday, after Ukraine and several other European public broadcasters had called for Russia to be expelled.

Russia will not be allowed to participate in the final of this year`s Eurovision song contest, the organiser said on Friday, after Ukraine and several other European public broadcasters had called for Russia to be expelled. "The decision reflects concern that, in the light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year`s contest would bring the competition into disrepute," the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said in a statement. Finland said on Friday it would not send contestants to the final if Russia was allowed to participate. Public broadcasters in Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Norway had all urged the EBU to expel Russia. Russian military forces on Thursday began an invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, prompting the imposition of economic sanctions by Western powers, as well as the withdrawal of major international sporting events from Russia. The Eurovision final, one of the world`s largest televised events, takes place in Turin, Italy, on May 14. Russia, which had yet to put forward a contestant this year, has participated 23 times since its first appearance in 1994 and won the contest in 2008. The chairman of Ukraine`s public broadcasting company Suspilne, Mykola Chernotytsky, wrote to the EBU saying that "Russia`s participation, as an aggressor and violator of international law, in this year`s Eurovision undermines the very idea of the competition". He said Russia`s state broadcaster was a "leading element of the Russian government`s information war against Ukraine". Russia was one of the favourites for the competition in 2016, when Crimean Tatar Susana Jamaladinova of Ukraine, known as Jamala, unexpectedly won with a song about Soviet leader Joseph Stalin`s deportation of hundreds of thousands of people from her Black Sea homeland, two years after Russia annexed the territory. The following year, as host of the finals, Ukraine barred Russia entry from entering.

Russia banned from Eurovision song contest over invasion of Ukraine

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Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra wins Eurovision amid Russian invasion

Eurovision favourites, Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra join war effort

Russia banned from Eurovision song contest over invasion of Ukraine