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Russia: One month after the victory
Russia experienced a sense of real euphoria after Dima Bilan's victory in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. That feeling was enhanced due to achievements in other fields, ice hockey and football for example. Just a short time before Eurovision 2008 Russia won the World Cup in hockey and St. Petersburg club Zenit got the UEFA cup. People seemed to feel that good luck had come back to Russia after many years of defeats.
It also seems that to many a Eurovision victory signifies more than just winning a music contest, even if that is the largest one on Earth. Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, deputy chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, told the press: "Not only goals, prizes and golden microphones are important. It's important that our country is firm again on the ground of European culture; it feels strong, independent and has something to say to the world".
At the same time the Russian press is still hotly debating Eurovision. Dima has occupied all magazine and newspaper covers and a lot of airtime is dedicated to him on radio and TV as well. But in spite of such massive personal attention, even from the Russian president himself and other high officials, local society is less positive about him than after his second place in Athens back in 2006.
Many critics said that Dima's professional level has gone down, and that his victory came about actually due to Olumpic figure skater Evgeny Pluschenko. Others concluded that it is a personal success of Bilan, but not Russia, as the song is composed by American author and performed in English.
Artemiy Troitsky, who is a well-known musical critic in Russia, said that after such countries like Moldova and Azerbaijan joined Eurovision, it became very pro-Russian, and Russia should really make an effort not to win the Eurovision Song Contest. Thus, Artemiy doesn't see anything extraordinary nor heroic in Dima Bilan's victory.
And of course Russian bloggers and internet users had a lot to say on Dima's victory. Great numbers of jokes and thousands of comments are written daily, some positive portraying a sense of national pride: "Hockey, football, Eurovision... It is time to begin the Word War 3! No doubt, Russia will win it too!" and some ironic such as: "The Russian football team could win Euro 2008, only if Pluschenko would skate in the central circle of the field." But overall, Russians are proud of their Eurovision victory, the greatest proof of that being the huge crowds flooding the streets on the night Dima won the crystal microphone for Russia.
Special thanks to Anton Kudrevich for the submission of the article.
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- Jury vote only in the final or in the semis as well?
- What mixture of televote and jury vote do you think is the best?
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At least ppl, we dont have to worry anymore that Russia will win I think...like we dont have to worry that China will win miss universe again.
"...dustin in the oven surroinded by potatoes doing the bacing vocals"..LLoooL, Mina, really LOOL! and about Hungary 2007, it was ok, but nothing special for me..and i did not liked seeing the inger coming with an old, worn out suitcase on stage, a cheap and sentimental gimmick which put me off
The problem with Dustin talking is that I don't think many people understand him!
Stockholm
Yes he is!! And his comments are far from cute, they're just sooooo hilarious!! 
Jonny,
But when he starts talking he's very witty 
Which song did you like last year, Vincent?
Mina
Don't worry, I wasn't offended your comment was hilarious!! And I agree with the oven idea
Mina,
LOL, how dare you insult Dustin!!!! I think Dima would look good in a mental asylum! (sorry, that was harsh lol!)
Jonny:
..challenge, lol. But hey, Dustin is cute
Mina:
As you know I'm not 100% for Dima's song but I do think he's cute and sexy. Of course I never vote for looks either.
I think the Hungarian entry last year was the only song I really liked in top 16.
Dustin would look really cute in an oven, surrounded by potatoes (they could do the back vocals!) 
Jonny,
I was just offering suggestions for his next appearance
If he sang from an oven with dancers dresssed as potatoes, I have a feeling that he would do better
Stockholm
Yes, Dustin is cute, even if he isn't human! Well, hes cute until he starts talking . . . . .!!
Mina,
Oh yeah, I was also soooo dissapointed when it only got 9th place. Although it manmaged 2nd in the semi This years Hungarian entry deserved so much more also,
''''I think the Hungarian entry last year was the only song I really liked in top 16. ''
Agreed!
Isn't it strange that 3 people from different countries we all liked the same song and yet it didn't do well?
Mina
lol!! Well considering you voted for Dima for 2 years now, its evident you don't vote on looks!! 
Mind you, I don't either because I would have voted for Dustin this year had he been in the right semi! And hes not exactly . . . . . good looking!
Oh I never vote for looks! Last year I voted for that excellent Hungarian song...you know, the blues one..and I was soooooo disappointed it was 9th and even more disappointed that Greece gave it zero points 
This year's Hungarian entry was good but unfortunately for them I love Celine Dion and I know all her songs and that one was exactly the same as In his touch by Celine.
Of course when I learned that they call the Hungarian singer Celine in Hungary, I knew why
Mina,
I can see what you mean by ugly, that mullet he had was just scary!!
Stockholm,
I agree with Mina, you seem to like your men to be a bit of a challenge!! lol
Not just the mullet..something in his face..I don't know, but I remember I had thought 'good voice, good song, too bad the poor boy is so ugly'...lollllllll
I still can't believe it's the same guy..he matured a lot in those 2 years.
Hey, I haven't seen him naked..well, not totally naked...LOL
Laka, Stockholm? You're into thrillers, aren't you?
Jonny,
I like the guy as an artist, his voice, his stage presence and I love Believing so I really wanted Dima to win this time but it doesn't mean he's my dream guy..LOL
Actually in 2006 I found him rather on the ugly side 
Stockholm
LOL, Laka!!! And you're right, I think most of Russia and Europe has seen Dima naked!
Yeah, it is annoying when the posts appear in the wrong order!
Mina
OMG, I thought Dima would be your dream guy!! Well there was a massive range of beautiful women to chose from this year, so I couldn't make a choice!
LOL I think I would surprise you...actually the guy I found the cutest in this year's eurovision wasn't Dima (a shock, right? )
I found Paolo Meneguzzi from Switzerland veryyy cute.
But ok, yes, 2nd choice would be Dima.
Jonny/Mina:
Well, I've already seen Dima so I think I'll go for Laka But Paolo was very cute too.
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It's so annoying that the posts appear in disorder. I sent one for you in Ireland's article and though I pressed the refresh button it appeared way down
Mina,
Yes I know the answer, although I don't think its paaaaaaasssssible!!!
Jonny and Stockholm, you bad, bad kids
I see Jonny you didn't ask me who I'd like to see so I guess you already know the answer!
lollllllllllll
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