You're reading: Yanukovych: FC Shakhtar Donetsk to be European level club

FC Shakhtar Donetsk will be a European level club, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said.

“Since the football club has been headed by [its president], Rinat
Akhmetov, Shakhtar has steadily moved towards its goal – to become a
European level club,” the presidential press service quoted him as
saying in his speech at events to mark the 80th anniversary of Donetsk
region, the press service of the State.

Yanukovych added that the UEFA Cup in 2009 was one of the real confirmations of this progress.

He said that Shakhtar had long been a visiting card of the Donbas.

“And the capital of the Donbas, our favorite city of Donetsk hosted
the European football championship at a high level,” Yanukovych said.