New photographs obtained by Our News Outlet Sport have revealed the stark, deteriorating condition of Shakhtar Donetsk’s home stadium in Ukraine.
Shakhtar moved into Donbass Arena in 2009, and the stadium later served as one of the main venues for Euro 2012. However, it has not staged a football match since 2014.
The venue’s enforced absence from football followed the outbreak of Russian aggression in Donbas that year. Shakhtar were subsequently forced to stage matches in several cities across Ukraine.
After the war between Ukraine and Russia escalated in 2022, the club also moved its European fixtures overseas, with Poland, Germany and Slovenia all hosting Shakhtar matches.
This season, Shakhtar will use Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge for their Champions League campaign. Ahead of Wednesday’s first ‘home’ fixture against AEK Athens, fresh images have offered a grim reminder of the club’s continuing plight.
The photographs, taken by Yuriy Butusov and posted on his Telegram channel, show the extent of the damage and neglect at Donbass Arena.
New photographs have exposed the desperate condition of Shakhtar Donetsk’s home stadium in Donetsk
Large sections of the Donbass Arena’s exterior have suffered visible damage
Grass has become overgrown around the stadium, while a Ukrainian warning sign reads: ‘DO NOT WALK ON THE LAWN! CAUTION! EXPLOSIVE OBJECTS MAY BE PRESENT.’
The stadium has been badly damaged, with numerous panels missing from its exterior.
The destruction has left parts of the interior visible from outside, while rust and discolouration have spread across the structure.
The grounds surrounding Donbass Arena have also been reclaimed by nature, with long grass and weeds covering large areas.
In another section, warning tape blocks access beside a sign carrying the message: ‘DO NOT WALK ON THE LAWN! CAUTION! EXPLOSIVE OBJECTS MAY BE PRESENT.’
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The images show no people, reflecting the near-deserted state of the area amid the continuing war.
Yet Shakhtar have continued to show remarkable resilience. Under former Barcelona star Arda Turan, the club won the Ukrainian Premier League last season despite the extraordinary difficulties it faces.
They also advanced to the Conference League semi-finals, where their run ended with defeat by Crystal Palace.
Before the Champions League campaign began, CEO Sergei Palkin discussed the decision to relocate the club’s European home games to England. Stamford Bridge is around 2,000km (1,243 miles) from Shakhtar’s current base in Kyiv, which itself lies 370 miles from Donetsk.
‘We decided: let’s move to England,’ Palkin said. His team will host AEK Athens, Sporting Lisbon, Fenerbahce and Real Madrid during the competition’s League Phase. ‘There are a lot of Ukrainian refugees and a lot of Ukrainians living here.
‘London is the football capital of the world. It is the biggest marketplace for players. For our young players, competing at this level in a legendary stadium like Stamford Bridge provides extra motivation and can bring positive results.
‘I first contacted [Chelsea co-owner] Behdad Eghbali and said: “What do you think about this idea – playing Champions League matches in your stadium?”’
‘The reaction was positive. Step by step, it became a reality. Chelsea were very professional.’
The Donbass Arena pictured in 2013 after the state-of-the-art stadium was opened in 2009
Man United were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at the ground during a Champions League group stage clash back in October 2013
Shakhtar will also wear an ‘Invest in Ukraine’ slogan on their shirts during their Champions League campaign.
Explaining that decision, Palkin added: ‘We are representing our country and want to be visible for Ukraine. We need support from the democratic world.
‘We cannot fight alone. Part of our role when we play in London and other cities in Europe is to send these messages and remind people what’s going on.’
