ANKARA

Ukraine suspended on Thursday its top-tier football league after the declaration of martial law due to Russia's military intervention.

The Ukrainian Premier League announced the decision in a brief statement on its website.

Following a two-month winter break, the second half of the campaign was supposed to begin on Friday with the Week 19 clash between FK Minaj and Zorya Lugansk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced martial law across the country as Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is launching a "special military operation" in Donbas region.

He said the action followed a request for help from authorities of separatist-held Donetsk and Lugansk regions, which he recently recognized as independent states.