Russian missiles strike top Ukrainian hockey facility

We are nearing the one-year mark since Russia’s invasion unprovoked of Ukraine. And the war between these two countries continues without end.

Millions of people have fled their homes due to the humanitarian crisis that has erupted in Ukraine’s eastern half. The fighting has affected nearly every aspect of Ukrainian society, including sports. This was further demonstrated by the Tuesday destruction of Ukraine’s most important hockey arena and facilities.

According to the Ukrainian Ice Hockey Federation, a Russian missile attack destroyed the Altair arena in Druzhkivka. French television station captured the attack live and had a reporter running for cover as the missile hit a building.

According to The Kyiv Independent there were two victims of the blast.

The rink was used as the home arena by HC Donbass after their old facility in Donetsk Oblast was set on fire in 2014. Multiple reports indicate that the arena was being used for humanitarian aid storage.

Video footage posted online after the blast shows emergency responders racing to put out flames in the arena.

Wednesday’s YouTube video from HC Donbass demonstrates the extent of the damage caused by the attack.

Fedor Ilyenko, general manager of the club, stated in a Facebook post This arena was also home of the biggest figure and hockey schools in Ukraine.

He wrote: “It’s hundreds and dozens of international competitions for children, children’s smiles …,”. “It’s people that have brought joy for eight years, since the beginning of the war.”

According to the country’s hockey federationAltair, which is also the fifth venue to be destroyed in Russian strikes, was the fifth since the beginning of the war.

Dmytro Kuleba (Ukraine Foreign Minister) reacted to this latest missile strike by doubled down on his demand for Russian athletes to be banned at international sporting events.

“I invite all sports officials who want to allow Russian athletes to compete in international events because, as they say, ‘politics should be kept out of sports’, to visit the Altair ice arena in Druzhkivka ruined by Russia’s ‘politically neutral’ shelling,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

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