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Ukraine Premier League ends 2021-22 campaign amid Russian invasion

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The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has forced football officials to call off the domestic league games.

Ukrainian Premier League has decided to terminate the 2021-22 season, announcing no winners for the campaign.

Top-flight teams have not returned to the pitch ever since the start of the winter break. The league was supposed to start in February, but Russia’s attacks forced football officials to delay the games.

On Tuesday, a video meeting between the Premier League teams took place. The Ukrainian league then announced their decision to terminate the season.

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“The standings as of February 24, 2022 will be the final standings of the 2021/22 season, while no winners to be awarded,” the league’s official statement reads (via Goal).

“The corresponding decision was submitted for approval by the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian Association of Football.”

Shakhtar were leading the Ukrainian Premier League table before the winter break. The Donetsk side had collected 47 points from 18 matches, standing two points ahead of Dynamo Kyiv in second place. 

Some of the top Ukrainian sides are already in active zones of conflict, which makes it harder for the officials to plan for the next season.

UPL’s statement added: “A working group was created in order to study the questions on the current activities of the Ukrainian Premier League and the start of the next season.

“The UPL clubs supported the initiative of UAF President Andrii Pavelko to hold a face-to-face meeting to consider the issues to be solved by the working group.”

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