Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra feted on return home after Eurovision win

By Andriy Perun

KRAKOVETS, Ukraine – Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra returned to their homeland on Monday after an emotional Eurovision Music Contest victory, greeted on the border with Poland by servicemen and ladies whose trigger the band had championed in Turin.

Frontman Oleh Psiuk was introduced with a bouquet of yellow and blue flowers – the colors of Ukraine’s flag – and reunited together with his girlfriend earlier than he and his band launched into an impromptu model of “Stefania”, their successful music.

On Saturday, that they had ridden a wave of widespread assist to win the annual songfest within the northern Italian metropolis, giving their compatriots a much-needed morale increase after nearly 12 weeks of battle.

Ukrainian troops watching on tv had hailed the win, with Psiuk making a plea for assist on the finish of the stay efficiency for the besieged metropolis of Mariupol and its Azovstal steelworks.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was fast to supply congratulations on Saturday, and residents of the city that bears the band’s identify – about three hours by automobile southeast of the settlement of Krakovets, the place they crossed again into Ukraine – had been overjoyed.

“I like my Kalush. My spouse and I've been watching till 1 a.m. And we had been joyful to win. I used to be leaping. I used to be in seventh heaven,” mentioned one, 74-year-old Petro Yugan, on Sunday.

“However I additionally need us to finish the battle as quick as potential, and it might be an excellent larger victory.”

Bookmakers had made Kalush Orchestra clear favourites among the many 40 opponents within the annual contest, which usually attracts a tv viewers of near 200 million, partly attributable to widespread sympathy for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February.

“Stefania” – a tribute sung in Ukrainian to Psiuk’s mom that fuses rap with conventional people music – was mendacity fourth after nationwide juries voted, however stormed into high spot because of a report rating through the second stage of voting by viewers.