Both Ukraine And Russia Will Compete At Eurovision Despite Escalating Conflict

The Eurovision Song Contest has confirmed that both Russia and Ukraine will compete at the upcoming event in May.

Organisers said the event should be free from politics and is something which 'unites and celebrates diversity through music'.

Organisers conceded that they would continue to monitor the situation closely.

Ukraine's state broadcaster UA:PBC has called for Russia to be suspended.

It claimed that Russian broadcasters had been a 'mouthpiece for the Kremlin and a key tool of political propaganda' and had taken part in the 'systemic dissemination of disinformation against Ukraine'.

The BBC reports the eclectic and flamboyant competition has previously stirred up tensions between the warring nations.

In 2016, Russia's Sergey Lazarev had been favourite to win the competition.

Ukraine's Jamala, however, won with a song called '1944' which depicted the deportation of Crimean Tatars by Joseph Stalin - an event which has been described as 'tantamount to genocide'.

The BBC said the lyrics were seen by some as a criticism of Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Jamala - a Crimean Tatar - said: "The main message is to remember and to know this story. When we know, we prevent."

Alamy

Then in 2017, Russian contestant Julia Samoylova was blocked from entering Ukraine to compete in the contest.

The performer had reportedly toured Crimea but not entered the region via its border with mainland Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Government classifies people who enter Crimea via Russia as having entered illegally.

Russian television station Channel One then announced it would not broadcast the 2017 event.

This year's event is due to take place from May 10 in Turin, Italy.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier this week, despite repeated denials he was gearing up for war.

He said he intended to 'demilitarise' and 'de-Nazify' Ukraine.

He called on Ukrainian soldiers to throw down their weapons and go home.

He also warned that any attempt to interfere by outside nations would lead to 'consequences greater than any of you have faced in history'.

Photos have started emerging from the conflict and footage has also shown Russian tanks at the disused Chernobyl nuclear power plant.