Ukrainian Cup final moved due to unrest

The final of the Ukranian Cup final has been moved due to politcal unrest in Kharkiv, the county's football association has announced.

The Ukrainian Cup final has been moved from Kharkiv in the volatile east for safety reasons and may be postponed, the Ukrainian Football Federation said on Tuesday

The final is scheduled for May 15, but Kharkiv has been the site of large anti-government protests, and the mayor was wounded in a shooting last month.

The federation says another host city will be chosen after local officials admitted they could not ensure fans' safety.

"Kharkiv law enforcement is not able to completely guarantee safety. They have doubts," federation spokesman Pavel Ternovoi told The Associated Press. He added the situation in the city was "unstable."

Also, there was "no 100 percent guarantee" the date of the final will be kept, Ternovoi said.

The new host city will be decided at a federation meeting "in the near future," he said.

The semi-finals are to be played on Wednesday, with holder Shakhtar Donetsk away to Slavutych Cherkasy, and Dynamo Kiev hosting Chernomorets Odessa.

Shakhtar is on track for a fourth straight league and cup double.

The team, whose eastern home city of Donetsk is a separatist stronghold, will secure the Ukrainian Premier League title with a draw away to Zorya Luhansk on Sunday.


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Source: AAP


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