Ukrainian Premier League season to resume

The Ukrainian Premier League will resume on March 15 after civil unrest in the country brought the division to a halt.

Ukraine’s top flight had been due to restart on February 28 following the mid-season break, but was postponed due to the deteriorating situation in the eastern European state.

Russia’s decision to occupy the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea has led to a stand-off between the two countries and global tension.

Shakhtar Donetsk, Dnipro and Chornomorets Odessa all hosted UEFA Europa League games last month, although Dynamo Kiev’s home leg against Valencia was moved to Nicosia, Cyprus.

The national team was also forced to play a home match at a neutral venue, with Mikhail Fomenko’s men beating United States 2-0 in Larnaca.

However, following a meeting between the country’s clubs and Ukrainian football authorities, an agreement to resume the professional campaign appears to have been reached.

Ukraine’s minister of youth and sport Dmitry Bulatov said: “As the whole country is waiting for the matches of the championship race must recover as quickly as possible.”

The 19th and 20th rounds of the season, which were lost to the unrest, will be rearranged at a later date.

Defending Premier League champions Shakhtar sit top of the table after taking 38 points from 17 points with Metalist Kharkiv, who have a game in hand, five points behind in second.