Ukrainian Premier League back with bomb shelters and air raid sirens in grounds
The Ukrainian Premier League has returned with bomb shelters and air raid sirens fitted at stadiums to protect the players.
Shakhtar Donetsk and Metalist 1925 played out a goalless draw in the first match of the new season on Tuesday, with a total of four matches played on the opening day. The previous campaign had to be cancelled in February following the Russian invasion, starting a six-month spell without domestic football in Ukraine.
Although some clubs have been in European action already this season, the new league campaign is now underway, with four matches played on Tuesday before further fixtures on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
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Fans are absent from matches, though, with games being played behind closed doors due to the threat of ongoing Russian attacks. Stadiums have also been fitted with bomb shelters and air raid sirens in order to protect players, coaches and officials.
Speaking to Reuters, head of the Ukrainian FA, Andriy Pavelko explained: “This will be a unique competition: it will happen during a war, during military aggression, during bombardments.”
It is understood that members of the military were integral to the push for football to return in Ukraine, along with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Former striker and national team manager Andriy Shevchenko told CNN: "It's very important for the people, for the rest of the world – we can send the message that Ukraine is there.
"Even if we're at war inside the country, we are going to fight because we want to also live like normal countries, normal lives."
Meanwhile, journalist Andrew Todos added: "Mainly based on the fact that the whole point of the UPL returning and football in Ukraine in general is for the fact that to show a sign of defiance and the fact that Ukraine is continuing.
"Surviving in the day-to-day life and the things that they can get up to so that people can enjoy watching professional sport, just as people in Russia are continuing to do so because they don't have the imminent threat of missiles and all this kind of stuff that they put on Ukraine on a daily basis.
"Luckily, at the stadium today, there weren't any air raid sirens so the game actually went on with no problems."
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