From football hooligans to warriors


A volunteer of Espanola guards the football stadium in Mariupol. — AFP

AT the main football stadium in Moscow-controlled Mariupol, stickers of the local Ukrainian team are still visible, but armed football ultras from Russia now patrol the stands.

The logo of FC Mariupol – a seagull and an anchor on an orange and blue background, with the name of the city spelled in Ukrainian – has been partly scraped off on one dugout.

The Star Festive Promo: Get 35% OFF Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Focus

Between patriotism and fear
Tokyo hardens for a hotter future
A 500,000-year headstart on ingenuity
Struggling to keep the lights on
Kites reclaim the Lahore sky
Saffron robes on a path of peace
Nature’s super feather
‘Angels’ to the rescue in a city of millionaires
Surviving in Goma’s shadow
Island of free trade in a world of tariffs

Others Also Read