Russian troops strike in Kyiv and damage Spartak stadium

On the night of 10 June, Russia attacked Kyiv with drones and missiles. The attack damaged civilian infrastructure, including the Spartak Stadium. This was reported on Facebook by Yulia Khan, Director of the Department of Youth and Sports of the Kyiv City State Administration.

‘Wreckage of a drone was found on the territory of the sports arena, which caused the damage. As a result of the Russian strike, the stands, treadmill and stadium premises were damaged.

Matviy Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, said on Telegram that Russia is constantly trying to promote its agents of hybrid influence to international sports arenas and international sports federations, but at the same time it is also organising terror.

‘Today, the whole world understands that what is happening in Ukraine today is a crime. We will not give the arena to criminals,’ emphasised Matvey Bidnyi.

The report also states that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian troops have damaged or destroyed 736 sports infrastructure facilities, including 18 Olympic, Paralympic and Deaflympic training bases. In particular, on 18 April 2025, the Aquatics and Sports Complex in Dnipro was destroyed, and on 16 April, the ice arena in Kherson was destroyed.

Spartak Stadium in Kyiv

The Spartak Stadium is an important centre for the development of sports in Kyiv, where football, rugby, rugby sevens, athletics and other sports competitions were held.

The arena was built in 1934. The stadium has a football pitch and stands for 5,000 people. There are also playgrounds and sectors for shot put, discus, javelin and hammer throwing.

There are two indoor halls, an indoor swimming pool (25 m long), a sauna, and a hotel with 150 beds. In the late 70s, the facility was overhauled. At that time, four metal towers (up to 30 m high) were built to provide adequate lighting for the arena. In recent years, two mini-football fields have been built on the stadium grounds and the swimming pool building has been overhauled.

The bronze bas-relief of the legendary ancient warrior Spartacus, a former gladiator who later led the uprising of the enslaved in the Roman Republic, is considered to be a certain business card of the Spartak Stadium in Kyiv. He is depicted with a torch in his hand. The stadium was named in his honour.

On 10 June, Russia launched a large-scale drone attack on Ukraine. The enemy drones simultaneously attacked several districts of Kyiv, and also affected settlements in the Kyiv region.