Russia Creates Fake Ukrainian Clubs While UEFA Refuses to Act

Russia has created counterfeit versions of Shakhtar Donetsk and Zorya Luhansk, two of Ukraine's most successful football clubs, and integrated them into the Russian football system. UEFA has ignored repeated Ukrainian pleas to investigate these fake clubs, which now compete in Russia's fourth tier alongside other teams from occupied territories.

The Ukrainian Association of Football wrote to UEFA in October 2024 demanding action. Seven months later, no response has materialised whilst the impostor clubs continue playing matches and climbing Russia's football pyramid.

The Brazen Theft of Ukrainian Football Identity

The fake Shakhtar Donetsk currently leads Russia's Football National League 2B with seven wins from nine games. Despite playing in the Russian city of Taganrog, they list a Donetsk address as their headquarters and have co-opted the entire history of the legitimate Ukrainian club.

How the Impostor Clubs Operate

The counterfeit Shakhtar's website celebrates the real club's 90-year history as if it were their own. Meanwhile, the authentic Shakhtar Donetsk just won their 16th Ukrainian league title and will compete in next season's Champions League.

The fact of the participation of a club registered in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine in competitions organised by the national association of another state without the consent of the UAF is a direct violation of the territorial jurisdiction of the UAF.

This statement from the UAF's October letter to UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis highlights the fundamental breach of football's territorial integrity principles.

A Pattern of Sporting Occupation

The fake clubs join a growing contingent from occupied territories:

• Zarya Luhansk (the Russian spelling of Zorya) plays in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky but trains in occupied Luhansk
• Rubin Yalta and FC Sevastopol from occupied Crimea were absorbed into Russian football three years ago
• A quarter of teams in their division now purport to represent occupied Ukrainian territory

The impostor Zorya was allowed to jump straight into the fourth tier this season despite not earning promotion through sporting merit. The Guardian reported on their activities in April 2025 when they began playing in Russia's fifth tier.

UEFA's Deafening Silence Enables Sportswashing

UEFA's refusal to respond represents more than bureaucratic negligence. By allowing these clubs to operate unchallenged, European football's governing body effectively legitimises Russia's territorial occupation through sport.

Three Years of Empty Promises

UEFA claimed it was "assessing the situation" regarding Crimean clubs in Russian football three years ago. That assessment has apparently never progressed to action, even as more clubs from occupied territories join the Russian system.

The Russian Football Union previously claimed League 2B was amateur and outside its jurisdiction. However, the fake Shakhtar's own website describes the league as "professional", and club president Igor Petrov openly discusses ambitions to reach "the elite of Russian football".

Ukraine's Warnings Fall on Deaf Ears

The UAF's October letter warned UEFA about:

a coordinated political attempt to legitimise the occupation and erase the identity of Ukrainian football

This isn't hyperbole. By using the exact names, histories and identities of legitimate Ukrainian clubs, Russia creates confusion about which competitions are real. For the betting industry, this muddies the waters around legitimate fixtures and could affect Champions League qualification paths if these clubs somehow progress through the Russian system.

What This Means for Football's Future Governance

UEFA's inaction sets a catastrophic precedent. If occupying powers can simply create duplicate clubs without consequence, the entire principle of territorial integrity in international football collapses.

The Dangerous Precedent

Consider the implications: any nation that occupies territory could theoretically create fake versions of that region's clubs and integrate them into their domestic system. UEFA's silence suggests this is acceptable, despite Russia remaining banned from international competitions since invading Ukraine.

The situation becomes more absurd when you realise the real Shakhtar Donetsk continues to thrive despite the war. They've just won another Ukrainian title with goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk lifting the trophy, whilst their impostor plays fourth-tier football in Russia using their name and history.

Complicity Through Inaction

UEFA's refusal to even acknowledge Ukraine's concerns reveals an organisation unwilling to confront difficult political realities. The RFU remains a member of football's governing bodies despite their clubs openly violating territorial jurisdiction principles.

When contacted about this issue, UEFA offered no comment. Their silence speaks volumes.

What Happens Next

The fake Shakhtar leads their division and will likely earn promotion to Russia's third tier. Without UEFA intervention, these impostor clubs will continue climbing the Russian football pyramid whilst claiming the heritage of Ukrainian institutions.

Ukraine's football association faces an impossible situation. Their legitimate clubs compete domestically and in European competition whilst Russia operates counterfeit versions in occupied territories. UEFA's continued inaction suggests Ukraine must fight this battle alone, even as football's governing body enables the sportswashing of territorial aggression through its silence.