Ukraine’s victory in the Eurovision Song Contest is loaded with political meanings and messages, and Zelenskyy promises: “We will do everything we can to host next year’s demonstration in Mariupol.” Full support from EU leaders. The band’s lead singer says he’s ready to come back and fight. In the event of a NATO confrontation between Finland and Russia, Moscow promises a “political reaction” but rules out “the deployment of Russian nuclear forces in the Baltic States”. At the NATO summit in Berlin, Turkey opened up to the accession of the two Nordic countries, but criticized the “support of the Kurdish PKK terrorists”. Ankara also offers a ship for Azovstal’s wounded, but Kyiv says: “Towards an agreement, not for all”. The Russians are withdrawing from the Kharkiv region in the north in order to gain “full control” of Donetsk, Lugansk and Kherson. Zelenskyy signs a law banning pro-Russian parties and, at a meeting with a delegation of US senators, calls for Russia to be declared a “state of terror”.
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07.46 Mariupol, hundreds of civilians who fled by car arrived in Zaporizhia
A convoy of hundreds of cars carrying people displaced from Mariupol arrived in Zaporizhia overnight after waiting days for a green light from Russian troops. In the southern city, Ukrainian soldiers, including members of the Azov Battalion, continue to be attacked and are trapped in the Azovstal Steelworks.
07.24 Kyiv: Attacks on Azovstal, Russians prepare offensive in the south-east
In Mariupol, Russian troops continue to block Ukrainian defense units at the Azovstal Steel Plant with air and artillery strikes. And the Moscow soldiers are preparing the offensive in the southeast. They regroup to attack Barvinkove (in Kharkiv Oblast, near Dombass), Sloviansk, Lyman, Sievierodonetsk, Avdiivka and Kurakhove in Donetsk. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the latest military operations update, according to Ukrinform. In the north, towards Volhynia and Polissia, Russian troops “did not conduct active actions, but the threat of missile and air strikes from Belarusian territory remains.”
05:53 Blinken in Berlin to talk to the ministers of the NATO countries
“I have arrived in Berlin, where I will meet informally with the foreign ministers” of the NATO countries “to discuss our alliance and our sustained action against Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.” Foreign Minister Antony Blinken.
04.56 Eurovision, Johnson: Ukraine victory supports freedom fight
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated Ukraine on winning Eurovision. “It is a clear reflection not only of your talent – he wrote on his Twitter profile – but also of the unwavering support for your fight for freedom.”
03.18 Eurovision, Ukrainian singer: “Ready to fight in the war”
“Like every Ukrainian, we are ready to fight to the end in the war.” That’s how Oleh Psjuk, the singer of the Kalush Orchestra, answered a Swedish journalist who asked her if the members of the group were willing to get involved.
03/03 Armed Forces repelled 12 Russian attacks in Donbass
Ukrainian forces repelled 12 Russian attacks in Donbass. This was reported by The Kyiv Independent, citing the Command of Operations of the Joint Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to reports, Ukraine destroyed eight tanks, five artillery systems, nine units of combat armored equipment and five vehicles. Air defense units were also shot down: six Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and one Eleron tactical reconnaissance UAV.
01.55 Eurovision, Michel: “We hope for the festival in free and united Ukraine”
“Congratulations” to the Kalush Orchestra on their triumph at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 and “we hope that next year’s Eurovision Song Contest can be held in Kyiv in a free and united Ukraine”. The President of the European Council, Belgian Charles Michel, writes on Twitter and comments on the Ukrainian triumph in Turin.
01.50 Eurovision, Zelenskyy: “Next year in Mariupol”
“Next year Ukraine will host Eurovision for the third time in history. We will do everything to make Mariupol the host city,” wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his Telegram channel after the Kalush victory in Turin.
01.17 Eurovision, Zelenky: “Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe”
Home audiences from across Europe take Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra to the top of the Eurovision rankings and the country wins the next edition of the event. The group launched a call for the release of Ukraine from the stage: “Help Ukraine and Mariupol, help Azovstal!”.
Cheered President Zelenskyy: “Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe”.
01.03 Eurovision, the Kalush Orchestra wins the referendum (here the chronicle of the evening)
Ukraine wins the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest with 631 votes, 440 of which were televoted by European viewers who expressed their support for the musical event. “Slava Ukraini, Glory to Ukraine” said the band on the Palaolimpico stage, accepting the prize for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Stefania.
00.56 Governor of Donetsk: 3 civilians killed by Russian bombs
Russian bombing killed 3 civilians and injured 4 in Donetsk Oblast. The governor of the region, Pavlo Kirilenko, said on Telegram that two civilians were killed in Bohorodychne and one in ceramics. He also claimed that two injured people in Luhansk Oblast were being treated in Bakhmut.
00:47 Russian ambassador: threats against US diplomats
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Russian TV that the Russian embassy in Washington “is like a besieged fortress and works in a hostile environment: every day – he said – anti-virus demonstrations take place near ours hooliganism and vandalism. My comrades, associates receive threats, including physical violence. Renowned American politicians – he added – publish in the US media appeals to Russian diplomats and military officials to side with so-called democracy place. My comrades are therefore practically being driven into treason, which every country regards as a despicable act.
00.20 Zelenskyy to US senators: Russia is declared a “state of terror”.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, at a meeting with a delegation of US senators led by Republican minority leader Mitchell McConnell, called for Russia to be officially declared a “state of terror”. This was said by the Ukrainian leader himself in his usual evening message. Zelenskyy explained that a possible tightening of sanctions against Moscow had been discussed. “I have expressed my gratitude for the renewal of the Lend-Lease program (which allows arms to be sent to Kyiv with fewer restrictions) – he explained – and I have asked that Russia be officially declared a terrorist state.”
00.15 Eurovision, the attraction of the Kalush Orchestra is a coincidence
Did the Kalush Orchestra’s appeal to Ukraine and Mariupol violate Eurovision rules? Several commentators on the net suspect this, citing the ban on political messages from competitors on the stage at the event. But the appeal of Ukrainian competitors is hardly considered a punishable offense due to the difficult line to draw between political appeal and humanitarian appeal. Zelensky also supported the band and invited them to vote for them.
Zelenskyy is also on the pitch for Eurovision: He invites the Kalush Orchestra to vote
00.10 Ukraine: Zelenskyy signs law banning pro-Russian parties
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a text banning the establishment of political parties that support or defend the Russian invasion. This was announced by a parliamentary commission.
00.05 Zelenskyy: “The situation in Donbass remains very difficult”
“The situation in Donbass remains very difficult” and the Russian soldiers “are still trying to somehow emerge victorious”, but “step by step we are forcing the invaders to leave the Ukrainian lands”. So the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his evening video message.
00.02 Ankara is ready to send a ship to evacuate Azovstal militants
Ankara is ready to send a ship to evacuate the militants who are still barricaded at the Azovstal Steel Plant in Mariupol. This is what Turkish President’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in an interview with Reuters recorded by TASS. “On the basis of this plan – he specified – the people evacuated from the steel plant would be taken by land to the port of Berdyansk, which, like Mariupol, is on the Azov Sea, and a Turkish ship would take them across the Black Sea to Istanbul. . If this is possible, we will be happy to do so. We are ready. One of our ships is ready to take the wounded soldiers and other civilians to Turkey.”
00.01 Kyiv: Moscow is approaching the referendum on the annexation of Mariupol
Russian occupying forces are preparing a referendum to sanction the annexation of Mariupol to Russia. Petro Andryushchenko, an associate of Vadim Boychenko, mayor-in-exile of the Azov Sea city, told the Observer after announcing a similar consultation in South Ossetia, a Georgian separatist area. According to Andryushchenko, the referendum could be announced as early as tomorrow.