Shakhtar

Martial law to prevent Shakhtar-Lyon being in Kharkiv

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:27 p.m. ET

DUBLIN (AP) — Shakhtar Donetsk is unlikely to be able to play its Champions League game against Lyon in Kharkiv on Dec. 12 because of the security situation in Ukraine.

The UEFA executive committee has decided that no matches from its competitions will be played at stadiums in areas where martial law is operational, which includes Kharkiv.

Ukraine imposed martial law for 30 days after Russian border guards fired on and seized three Ukrainian ships last week, capturing 24 men.

The countries have blamed each other for the clash in waters off the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Shakhtar plays home games in Kharkiv because its home city of Donetsk is controlled by Russia-backed separatists.

A likely venue for the Shakhtar-Lyon game is the western city of Lviv. A Europa League game between Vorskla Poltava and Arsenal was moved to Kiev last week, but the main stadium there is scheduled to host Dynamo Kiev's Europa League game against Jablonec on Dec. 13, the day after Shakhtar hosts Lyon.

Shaktar will advance to the round of 16 if it beats second-place Lyon.

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