Singer Loreen performs on behalf of Sweden during the final of the Eurovision Song contest 2023. Photo: Jessica Gow / AFP
Swedish star Loreen has won the Eurovision Song Contest for her song Tattoo, after a nail-biting finish with a massive 583 points.
It is the second time she has been crowned Eurovision winner after taking the trophy in 2012 with her song Euphoria.
Finland's Käärijä came in second place, while the UK's Mae Muller finished second from bottom.
The show opened with a performance by last year's winners - Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra - featuring a surprise cameo by Catherine, Princess of Wales.
The contest was held in Liverpool this year, because the war in Ukraine prevents them hosting.
Rapper Kaarija performs on behalf of Finland during the final of the Eurovision Song contest 2023. Photo: Jessica Gow / AFP
Ukraine Eurovision act's city Ternopil attacked before performance
The home city of Ukraine's Eurovision act was hit by Russian missiles moments before the band took to the stage in Liverpool, reports say.
The head of Ternopil regional state administration, Volodymyr Trush, confirmed two people had been injured.
Ternopil mayor Serhiy Nadal confirmed warehouses were damaged.
Ten minutes before taking to the stage at the Liverpool Arena, Tvorchi posted on Instagram citing reports of Ternopil in western Ukraine being attacked.
Music duo Tvorchi performs on behalf of Ukraine during the final of the Eurovision Song contest. Photo: Oli Scarff / AFP
After performing, Tvorchi wrote again on Instagram saying: "Ternopil is the name of our hometown, which was bombed by Russia while we sang on the Eurovision stage about our steel hearts, indomitability and will.
"This is a message for all cities of Ukraine that are shelled every day. Kharkiv, Dnipro, Khmelnytsky, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Uman, Sumy, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Kherson and all others.
"Europe, unite against evil for the sake of peace!"
Tvorchi, made up of producer Andrii Hutsuliak and Nigeria-born vocalist Jeffery Kenny, hoped to defend the Eurovision title after Kalush Orchestra won last year in Turin.
They performed Heart of Steel - a song about troops who led an ultimately unsuccessful resistance against Russian forces at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.
Liverpool is hosting the contest on behalf of Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict.
At the end of their performance, Tvorchi held their fists in the air as acts from other nations were also seen waving the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine.
The UK's ambassador to Ukraine Dame Melinda Simmons described Tvorchi's Eurovision performance as "poignant".
Writing on Twitter, she added: "Reminder that the reason why Ukraine could not host this event is because Russia continues to invade and the people of Ukraine live in continuing danger."
Russia has not yet made any official comment.
Earlier in the day, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Pope Francis at the Vatican and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
He has since flown to Germany, arriving in Berlin just before 1am local time.
- BBC
