28.2 C
Accra
Saturday, December 14, 2024
WorldUkraine war: Eurovision trophy sold to buy drones for Ukraine

Date:

Ukraine war: Eurovision trophy sold to buy drones for Ukraine

Kalush Orchestra, the Ukrainian band which won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, have sold their trophy for $900,000 (£712,000; €838,000) to raise money for the war in Ukraine.

The crystal microphone was auctioned on Facebook, with the aim of buying drones for Ukraine’s military.

The sale coincided with the band’s appearance at a charity concert at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate.

It aimed to raise money for medical care and supplies.

Speaking at the concert, band member Oleh Psiuk appealed for people not to get used to the war, which has left at least 4,031 civilians dead and 4,735 injured, according to the UN, along with an unknown number of combatants.

It has also forced more than 14 million people to flee their homes since Russia invaded on 24 February, with towns and cities reduced to rubble.

“I think it should be on the front pages always, until peace comes,” said Psiuk, whose Eurovision win had been hotly tipped in the run up to the contest. Their song, Stefania, was originally written in tribute to Psiuk’s mother, but emotive lyrics like “I will always walk to you by broken roads” have been re-interpreted as a rallying cry.

Ukrainian TV presenter Serhiy Prytula announced that the money raised from the sale of the trophy would be used to purchase three Ukrainian-made PD-2 drones, Reuters news agency reports.

Drones are used heavily by Ukrainian and Russian forces, both as weapons and reconnaissance aircraft.

Source: BBC

[forminator_poll id="710479"]

Latest stories

Dr Bawumia struggles to make decisions – Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe

Founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr....

Bawumia paid for ‘sins’ he didn’t commit – Miracles Aboagye

Spokesperson for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s 2024 election...

NDC will investigate all political violence since 2016 – Asiedu Nketia

National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has...

NPP’s Appiah-Kubi charges Mahama to set up a committee to probe all public resources

The outgoing Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North,...

Empress Gifty’s mother passes on

Ghanaian gospel singer Empress Gifty has shared the heartbreaking...

Related stories

Biden grants full pardon to son Hunter amid criminal sentencing

US President Joe Biden has granted a full and...

Court issues 2-year suspended death sentence to former Bank of China Chair for bribery, others

Former Bank of China chairman Liu Liange on Tuesday received...

Ghanaians among UN peacekeepers injured in Southern Lebanon attacks

The UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon has reported...

Russia denies Trump told Putin to restrain Ukraine war efforts

The Kremlin has rejected media reports suggesting that US...

More than 100 detained as protesters defy Amsterdam’s ban on protests

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested in Amsterdam on...

Traffic jam erupts as cyclists from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng for dumplings

A social media trend that began as a lighthearted...

Adin Ross wins $1.6m on Trump election bet after public endorsement

American streamer and social media influencer Adin Ross scored...