Ukraine's winner of Eurovision 2016, Jamala, is trying to make the voice of the Ukrainian people heard by the world from Istanbul. The Crimean Tatar singer addressed world powers to help stop Russia's invasion of her country, which she described as "terrorism," in a press meeting in the city on Tuesday.
"What Russia is doing right now is terrorism because innocent people, women, the elderly, children are being killed in my country," she told reporters in Istanbul, where she fled with her two children from Kyiv.
"We should stop Putin, we should stop the Russian aggression," the singer added, her voice quivering.
Jamala arrived in Istanbul on Monday after a 20-hour drive in a friend's car from the Romanian border, along with her 20-month and 3-year-old sons. They left Kyiv following Russian bombardments on Feb. 24.
On the devastation experienced in Russia's attack on Ukraine, Jamala said, "Unfortunately, as a singer, as an artist, I have to announce what is happening in Ukraine right now, not by singing, but by speaking. I have no other choice."
Touching on the reasons why she came to Turkey after leaving her country, the singer said, "I feel like a part of Turkey, too. I feel like a part of Turkey due to the language, religious and cultural similarities. As my family is in Turkey, I even didn't think of another country."
She recounted the stressful journey during which she tried to console her sons, telling them this was a game.
Her husband stayed in Ukraine, she says to help with the efforts to evacuate civilians to safer areas.
Russia will not take part in this year's Eurovision Song Contest due to the military attack on Ukraine, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided on Friday.
"This was definitely the right decision and I am really thankful to Eurovision for upholding the common European motto of peace ... Russians destroyed that motto," the Ukrainian singer added.
Jamala's song "1944," about Soviet deportations of ethnic Tatar people from Crimea, won Eurovision in 2016. Many Russian politicians perceived the song as an affront.
Her goal was to "show the world the Soviet-era repression in Crimea," she said.
"The same crimes repeat today," she added.
"We are very happy Jamala is safe with her children. We will defend our motherland Ukraine. We will never give up, we will win," Ukraine's Istanbul Consul General Roman Nedilskyi said.
