HEROES RETURN
Eurovision winners Kalush Orchestra arrive home to ecstatic crowds as they prepare to fight Russians
EUROVISION winners Kalush Orchestra have been greeted by ecstatic crowds when they arrived home in Ukraine.
As they band crossed the border from Poland locals with Ukrainian flags rushed to greet the band, who could soon be fighting the Russians.
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Oleg Psiuk gave his girlfriend a kiss as they crossed the border - a day after he was seen smooching her outside his hotel in Turin.
The band were presented with flowers and people with Ukrainian flags posed for selfies with band.
The six-piece band won the contest in Turin, Italy, on Saturday with its song Stefania - finishing with an astonishing 631 points.
But the all male group - who were given special permission to leave the country to attend the competition - were ordered to return home to their war-torn nation by Monday.
Under Ukrainian law, all men aged 18-60 are banned from leaving the country and urged to join the army or support the war effort.
Psiuk told the story of how he was called up to fight Russian invaders, only two days after his band were chosen to represent Ukraine.
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He explained how a soldier barked at him: “OK, first you have to sign this form saying the Ukrainian armed forces are not responsible if you get killed here.
"Then you should go upstairs because our Eurovision entrants are about to hold a press conference. It should be interesting – it’s a really good song!”
In an interview back in March with Associated Press, rapper Psiuk said he had established a volunteer organisation that uses social media to help find transportation and shelter Ukrainians in need.
The brave singer added how the band were "doing everything possible to help our country".
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He praised backing dancer Slavik Hnatenko for his decision to pick up a rifle and fight the Russians with the territorial defence force outside capital Kyiv.
The band’s members are all based in different parts of the country and all have been involved in the war since the February 24 invasion.
Shortly after being crowned Eurovision 2022 winners, the band took to the stage and screamed "Glory to Ukraine" amid euphoric scenes.
Receiving the trophy, the band said: "Thank you for supporting Ukraine. This victory is for every Ukrainian. Slava Ukraini."
“Stefania” was written by Psiuk as a tribute to his mum, but since the outbreak of war it has become an anthem to his motherland.
The lyrics pledge: “I’ll always find my way home, even if all roads are destroyed.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to stage the competition - as per tradition for the competition winners - in Mariupol in 2023 despite the ongoing bloodshed.
Only hours after their historic win, the band released a new music video of its winning hit featuring scenes of war ravaged Ukraine and women in combat gear.
Female soldiers appear to carry children through destroyed cities while Psiuk performs amongst the wreckage of destroyed and burning buildings.
Britain's Sam Ryder came a shock second in the famous competition with his song Space Man.
It is the best result for the UK since 1998 when they finished second.
Britain last won the contest in 1997 and have regularly finished at the bottom of the leader board in recent years.
The UK finished with 466 points, after topping the standings following the jury vote.
'NUKE EUROVISION'
But the dream scenes of Eurovision were followed by depraved social media posts from brainwashed Putin supporters.
In a sickening comment on social media, Russian journalist Yuliya Vityazeva suggested blasting the final at the Pala Olympic Arena with a missile.
She wrote: "Bomb it with a Satan missile."
The RS-28 Sarmat, aka 'Satan 2', can fly over 11,000 miles, carry 15 warheads and has the potential to destroy an area the size of the United Kingdom in a single strike.
Putin has previously boasted that the apocalyptic nuke can "break through any defences".
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While a chilling picture emerged of a missile which had been daubed by Russian soldiers calling for Eurovision to be ‘NUKED'.
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Putin's butchers had also reportedly wrote "Kalush, as you asked", "help Mariupol" and "help Azovstal right now" across the bomb.
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