Despite the Russian war of aggression, the football league in Ukraine has started again. Air raid shelters no more than 500 meters from the stadium are mandatory. These are needed in the game between Ruch Lviv and Metalist Kharkiv, and the game has to be interrupted three times.
Shortly after the start of the season of the first Ukrainian football league, a first game was affected by the effects of the Russian war of aggression. The match between Ruch Lviv and Metalist Kharkiv could only be ended 4:27 hours after the kick-off because both teams had to visit an air raid shelter three times for a total of 145 minutes.
"Safety is our top priority, so both teams had to go to the shelter every time according to available safety protocols," CNN quoted an email from the Ukrainian league as saying. Despite the three-time alert, no attacks on the area were reported.
Metalist Kharkiv, not to be confused with league competitor Metalist 1925 Kharkiv, won the game in Lviv in western Ukraine on the 31st Ukrainian Independence Day at 19.27 local time 2-1 (1-1). Yevhen Pidlepenets (37th minute) and Maksym Pryadun (66th) scored for Kharkiv, Yuriy Klymchuk (41st) equalized for Lviv just before half-time.
Before kick-off, the two teams jointly presented a banner that read "Russia is a terrorist state". The players ran onto the pitch with Ukraine flags draped over their shoulders.
The Premier League resumed play with 16 teams on Tuesday. The opening match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Metalist 1925 Kharkiv ended 0-0. The matches are to be played in stadiums in and around Kyiv and in western Ukraine. For security reasons, they take place practically closed to the public.
A maximum of 280 spectators are allowed at each game. A bunker no more than 500 meters from the stadium is a requirement, and in the event of an alarm it must be visited immediately. If a game cannot be continued after an hour at the latest, those responsible can decide to move it to the next day.
