Druzhba Arena was an

indoor arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

Donetsk, Ukraine Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: Names of European cities in different languages (C–D), cities' alternat ...

. It was built to develop hockey in the region. It was destroyed in May 2014.

History

Druzhba was built in 1975 as Druzhba Palace of Sports, by a standard design (dated 1956), with a

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

of 4,700 people for sporting events and 5,100 for concerts The Palace was open for visitors in 1976, and this event was the double surprise for fans, as the hockey match between Moscow hockey star teams was organized – Krylya Sovetov and

Dynamo file:DynamoElectricMachinesEndViewPartlySection USP284110.png, "Dynamo Electric Machine" (end view, partly section, ) A dynamo is an electrical generator that creates direct current using a commutator (electric), commutator. Dynamos were the f ...

. Many memorable matches took place on the ice arena, for example, international youth tournament between teams from socialist countries (1976), international tournament for the prize of the newspaper ''

Sovetsky Sport , logo = SovSport.png , image = Sovetskiy Sport nameplate May 19 1988.png , caption = ''Soviet Sports'' nameplate on the May 19, 1988 issue , type = , format = , own ...

'' (1983) etc. After the Palace of Sports was open, a hockey school for children was functioning on its base for 16 years. More than 500 children were taught in the school. Cooling units had worked without overhaul repair until the 1990s, and it became difficult to meet the requirements stipulated in the competitions conducted here and in 1992, the Palace was closed. The Palace was reconstructed in 2010, during the renovation facade of the building was updated, the facility was equipped with modern freezing system, the stands capacity was increased to 4,000 spectators from 3,500. Donetsk obtained the right to host the

2011 IIHF World U18 Championship Division II The 2011 IIHF World U18 Championship Division II was an international under-18 ice hockey competition organised by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Both Division II tournaments made up the third level of the IIHF World U18 Championships. ...

. In 2013, it hosted the Final stage of the

2012–13 IIHF Continental Cup The Continental Cup 2012–13 was the 16th edition of the IIHF Continental Cup. The season started on 28 September 2012, and finished on 13 January, 2013. The Super Final was played in Donetsk, Ukraine on the 11–13 January 2013. The points s ...

and the

2013 IIHF World Championship Division I The 2013 IIHF World Championship Division I was a pair of international Ice hockey tournaments run by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Group A contested in Budapest, Hungary and Group B contested in Donetsk, Ukraine, both running from 14 ...

. It was the regular home venue of

BC Donetsk Basketball Club Donetsk ( uk, баскетбольний клуб Донецьк), commonly known as simply Donetsk, was a Ukrainian professional basketball club, based in Donetsk. The team played in the Ukrainian SuperLeague. The mascot of the te ...

(

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

team) and

HC Donbass Hockey Club Donbass ( uk, Хокейний Клуб Донбас; russian: link=no, Хоккейный Клуб Донбасс, '' tr. Hokeinyi Klub Donbas'') is a Ukrainian professional ice hockey team based in Druzhkivka, currently playing in th ...

(

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

team). The arena hosted the annual

Pole Vault Stars Pole Vault Stars is an annual indoor pole vaulting competition which is typically held in February at the Druzhba Palace of Sports in Donetsk, Ukraine. The meeting was founded in 1990 by Sergey Bubka, the pole vault world record holder who grew up ...

meeting, which was hosted by

Sergey Bubka Sergey Nazarovych Bubka ( uk, Сергій Назарович Бубка; born 4 December 1963) is a Ukrainian former pole vaulter. He represented the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991. Bubka was twice named Athlete of the Year by ''Tr ...

and have featured numerous world record performances.

2014 fire

On the night of May 26, 2014, Druzhba Arena was ransacked by an armed group as part of the

War in Donbass War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...

. The men tied up security, looted the arena, stole televisions, safety deposit boxes, equipment and a company car before destroying surveillance equipment – after which they set the arena on fire. President of the HC Donbass

Borys Kolesnikov Borys Viktorovych Kolesnikov ( uk, Борис Вікторович Колесніков, born October 25, 1962) is the leader of the political party Ukraine is Our Home. He is the former secretary of the Party of Regions' presidium, former people ...

in an appeal of May 27, accused of what happened representatives of the so-called

Donetsk People's Republic The Donetsk People's Republic ( rus, Донецкая Народная Республика, Donetskaya Narodnaya Respublika, dɐˈnʲetskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə; abbreviated as DPR or DNR, rus, ДНР) is a Territorial ...

, saying “We call on those people who still sympathize with the rebels of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, terrorizing East Ukraine – think: Is this a “future” they want for themselves and their children?" HC Donbass expected the arena to be operational within 90 days and fully restored by the start of the KHL season. This did not happen and the team provisionally withdrew from the KHL and HC Donbass currently play in

Druzhkivka Druzhkivka ( uk, Дружківка, ; russian: Дружковка, Druzhkovka) is a City of regional significance (Ukraine), city of oblast significance in Donetsk Oblast (oblast, province) of Ukraine. Population: ; 64,557 (2001). The area of the ...

in the

Ukrainian Hockey League The Ukrainian Hockey League is the name of the highest ice hockey league in Ukraine since the 2016–17 season, playing for the Ukrainian Hockey Championship. The league was created in June 2016 and folded in 2021. Seasons * 2016–17 (winner: ...

References

External links

* {{2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine Indoor arenas in Ukraine Basketball venues in Ukraine Ice hockey venues in Ukraine Indoor arenas built in the Soviet Union Sport in Donetsk Indoor track and field venues Buildings and structures in Donetsk Sports venues completed in 1976 2014 fires in Europe Fires in Ukraine HC Donbass 1976 establishments in Ukraine