Imitation versions of Shakhtar Donetsk and Zorya Luhansk remain in Russian league, despite the real teams playing in Ukrainian competition
This is maximally fucked:
The fake Shakhtar, who play in the Russian city Taganrog but list an address in Donetsk as their headquarters, lead the division with seven wins from nine games. The champions will be promoted to the third tier. They were granted a licence and, in effect, parachuted straight into League 2B this season after previously competing in a tournament played among clubs from the occupied areas. Their website co-opts the history of Shakhtar Donetsk, who will play in the Champions League proper next season after winning their 16th Ukrainian league title, and currently features a lengthy celebration of their 90th anniversary.
Why am I not surprised…
