Ukraine Pulls Upset to Win Eurovision 2016
Jamala, the Ukrainian entry into Eurovision 2016, walked away as the grand champion after Saturday night’s finale in Stockholm. This has pissed off the Russian bear in two ways. (1) Bookies had Russia’s entry was a solid favourite win the whole thing; and (2) Jamala’s song, “1944,” is critical about Russian’s behaviour regarding Crimea.
More specifically, her song was about the deportation of Crimean Tartars by the Soviets, an example of ethnic cleansing by Stalin. (She’s a Crimean Tartar herself.)
Russia didn’t even finish second. They were third behind Sweden. Vladimir Putin is not pleased, given that he seemed to really, really care about winning Eurovision this year.
