A Ukrainian first division football match on Wednesday in Lviv between Rukh Lviv and Metalist Kharkiv lasted four hours and 27 minutes – instead of 90, excluding half-time and stoppages – due to several air alerts.
Thrice interrupted by the alarm sirens, the match, which had started at 3:00 p.m. local time, ended at 7:27 p.m. The two teams spent a total of 145 minutes in a bomb shelter, but no strikes were reported in the area.
The city of Lviv, located in western Ukraine and home to many refugees since the start of the Russian invasion on 24 February, has been the target of heavy air attacks in recent months.
Ukraine celebrated Independence Day, which commemorates its separation from the USSR in 1991 – on Wednesday, six months to the day after the start of the current conflict.
The Ukrainian football championship resumed behind closed doors on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Metalist Kharkiv won 2-1 away from home.
