Ukraine football returns amid ongoing Russia war with bomb shelters for players

Domestic football in Ukraine returned on Tuesday for the first time since Russia invaded the nation in February earlier this year.

The return of league football coincides with Ukraine's national flag day and precedes Ukraine Independence Day, 24 August (when the nation declared independence from the former Soviet Union republic in 1991), after a six-month enforced shutdown. The league season commenced with Shakhtar Donetsk playing Metalist 1925 from Kharkiv - two clubs from cities in the east of Ukraine, which have been at the heart of the conflict.

Kyiv's Olympic Stadium, which hosted the Euro 2012 final and the 2018 Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, was the setting for the clash, ahead of a further three matches in the division on Tuesday.

No fans are in attendance due to the ongoing security fears, while emergency bomb shelters are on standby nearby should air-raid sirens go off. Shakhtar captain Taras Stepanenko explained to The Associated Press: "We have rules in case of an alarm and we should go to be underground. But I think the teams and the players will be proud of this event. We are ready, we are strong and I think we will show to all the world Ukrainian life and will to win."

Shakhtar Donestk's Director of Football and club legend Darijo Srna exclusively told Mirror Football in July, when outlining the importance of football returning in the nation: "Football is something which unites the people and Ukraine is a nation which loves sport. We are going to show all the world that we are still alive and are fighting on the pitch for Ukraine.

"Just like are soldiers who are on the frontline, we have our duty to Ukraine and that is to play football."

Shakhtar's domestic supremacy in Ukraine was threatened when the War in Donbas forced the club out of its home city of Donetsk, with the team relocating to Lyiv (2014-17), Kharkiv (2017-20) and Kyiv (2020-).

Despite this adversity, the club have still won 11 trophies in the eight years since. Shakhtar's 52,000-capacity Donbas Arena has not been in use since 2014.

Shakhtar's Chief Executive Sergei Palkin told Mirror Football when speaking of the restart: "It was President Zelensky's decision to restart the league to coincide with Ukraine Independence Day on 24 August.

"All of our games will be dedicated to the message that we need to win this war and end the conflict as soon as possible. We need to continue sending the message of what is going on in Ukraine. We need to collect money to support our Ukrainian refugees, our army and the people."