Ukraine wins Eurovision
18:38
According to most predictions, this year's Eurovision was won by Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine with the song "Stefania". Krystian Ochman, representing Poland, finished in the middle of the field, in 12th place.
The last time a representative of Ukraine won was in 2016 in Stockholm. The singer Jamala, who comes from the Tatar ethnic minority, triumphed then.
In accordance with the Eurovision's premise, the concert was devoid of political accents – after all, there is a provision in the rules that a performer can be disqualified for political manifestations on stage – nevertheless, the members of the Kalush Orchestra appealed to the audience and viewers after performing their song: "We ask you, help Mariupol and Azovstal. Immediately!". The group Systur from Iceland also appealed for peace in Ukraine, and many of the artists held displays of Ukrainian flags.
The lack of a Russian representative is also a reminder of the war in Ukraine. The organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), has excluded Russian artists from this year's edition. This happened already on February 25 – the day after the invasion of Ukraine began.
