Ukrainian Band Made It To Eurovision Finals. "If We Win, We Will Boost The Morale In The Whole Country," Said A Band Member.

Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra made it to the finals of the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy. The musicians from Western Ukraine with an emotional song Stefania are hot candidates for winning. 

The founding member of the band Oleh Psiuk said in an interview for BBC that winning would send a message of support to approximately 12 million Ukrainians who fled his country.

"It is important for our country to win in all senses,“ he said. "If we win, it will be another opportunity to show and remind Ukraine to the world, as well as to boost morale in the whole country."

The band tried to show that their success is not merely an expression of solidarity. "Even before the war, we were ranked 5th according to bookmakers," they said last week at a press conference, "which means that Europeans like this Ukrainian song." Psiuk dedicated the song Stefania to his mother, but at the same time expressed an appeal for protest. 

Russia was expelled from the competition

Artists from 17 countries took part in the first semifinal on Tuesday, reminds DPA. Apart from Ukraine, Armenia, Greece, Island, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Switzerland made it to the final. Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Croatia, Latvia and Slovenia did not make it through to the final. 

Organizers expelled Russia and their close ally Belorussia from this year's edition of Eurovision.

The final will be held this Saturday.