The Kharkiv Sports Palace, the city’s largest indoor sports facility, was severely damaged on 1 September 2024 during a massive missile strike. At that time, the Russians fired six Iskander-M and S-300 missiles at the building and the surrounding area. Experts are currently assessing the extent of the damage and determining the amount of losses.
According to Oleksandr Vlasenko, director of the city’s department for family, youth and sports, the ice arena suffered the most damage. Two ice rinks were completely destroyed, and the fire and explosions caused significant damage inside the building.
Before the full-scale war, more than 700 children trained at the Sports Palace and 40 coaches worked there, developing hockey, figure skating and short track.
Due to the destruction, athletes were forced to move to other cities for training, in particular to Dnipro and Kremenchuk. The large hall of the Palace, where Ukrainian championships in various sports and concerts were previously held, also suffered significant damage: the roof, walls, stands and other structures were damaged.
According to Vlasenko, reconstruction can only begin once the security situation in Kharkiv has improved. He expressed confidence that once the fighting has ended, the city will be able to rebuild the Sports Palace, making it even larger and more modern.
The final amount of damage has not yet been determined. Experts are conducting expert studies to determine the full extent of the damage.