Ukrainian football teams turn crests blue and yellow in show of unity amid Russia threat of invasion

Ukrainian football teams are switching their club colours to blue and yellow in a show of unity amid Russia’s threat on invasion in the country.

The hometown club of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kryvbas, were reportedly the team who kick-started the gesture to mirror the Ukraine flag and called upon others to follow suit.

‘Regardless of the colours we defend on the pitch, we are all Ukrainian. In our DNA there are the two most important colours – blue & yellow,’ they said, according to London-based Ukrainian football account Zorya Londonsk on Twitter.

Ukrainian football teams  – such as Kryvbas, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown club – are switching their crest colours to blue and yellow in a show of unity

A number of Ukrainian sides have followed suit on Wednesday, including Inhulets 

Polissya were the side who Oleksandr Usyk made his debut for earlier in February

Polissya followed with the gesture and said: ‘At times like these it’s vital to unite & stick together. But also to identify yourself with the nation. 

‘Ukraine is one, united & indivisible. Ukraine is the Polissian forests, Carpathian hills, Crimean vineyards & Donetsk coal heaps.’

Polissya were the side who heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk made his debut for earlier in February in their Winter Cup match against UPL Veres. 

Olimpik Donetsk and Inhulets were other sides to switch the colours on their club crests to blue and yellow. 

The Ukrainian football league is still scheduled to restart this Friday after its winter break, despite the advancing threat of Russian troops. 

Action begins again when the second bottom club, Mynai, host fourth placed, Zorya Luhansk.

While this round of fixtures look set to go ahead, but no one can be sure what will happen next or if the season will be completed.

Polissya (left) and Olimpik Donetsk (right) also followed other teams in making the gesture

The Ukrainian league is set to restart on Friday despite the threat of a Russian invasion

‘The main message to the Ukrainian people now is to carry on,’ Ukrainian football journalist Andrew Todos told Sportsmail.

‘People are worried, but football helps to give some respite.’

After conflict broke out ion the eastern region of the country in 2014, the Ukrainian Premier League dwindled to just 12 sides and it has only returned to 16 teams this season. 

Foreign secretary Liz Truss said on Wednesday morning that Russian president that Vladimir Putin is now ‘hell-bent’ on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a direct attack on the capital of Kiev ‘highly likely’ to be in his plans.