Arsenal match switched to Kiev amid Ukraine security concerns

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Arsenal’s Europa League clash with Ukranian side FC Vorskla was switched to Kiev from the city of Poltava by UEFA on Tuesday after the adoption of martial law in some areas of the country due to escalating political tension with Russia.

The match will now take place in the Ukrainian capital, more than 300 kilometres west of Poltava, at the original scheduled time of 1755 GMT on Thursday.

“UEFA’s Emergency Panel has today taken the decision to relocate FC Vorskla’s UEFA Europa League group stage match against Arsenal FC from the city of Poltava, following the introduction of martial law into certain regions in Ukraine,” UEFA said in a statement.

“The match will now take place at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv on Thursday 29 November at 18.55CET.”

⚠ We have an important update on Thursday’s #UEL game against FC Vorskla ⚠

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) November 27, 2018

European football’s governing body said future games in the Ukraine, which hosted last season’s Champions League final, could also be relocated.

“UEFA will continue to monitor and assess the security situation in Ukraine in the coming days before making any decision on potentially relocating other matches,” the statement added.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday warned of the threat of “full-scale war” and said Russia had sharply increased its military presence on their shared border as tensions escalate between the ex-Soviet neighbours.a