Zarya Lugansk

FC Zarya Lugansk (Russian: ФК «Заря» Луганск) is a Russian football club. It is officially registered as based in Luhansk (which is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine), but plays in Abramovka, Rostov Oblast, Russia. Following the Revolution of Dignity and the subsequent 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, the Ukrainian government did not maintain control over the city of Luhansk. As a consequence, the historical club FC Zorya Luhansk was not able to play their home games in the city, and played in other cities, including Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv. During the Russo-Ukrainian war, Luhansk Oblast was annexed by Russia in 2022, making teams based in Luhansk eligible to enter the Russian football competition system. The club was formed in 2023 under the name Zarya ("Zarya" and "Zorya" are the words for "dawn" in Russian and Ukrainian languages respectively) and played in local amateur competitions. The team has been described as as a "fake team" and a "rip-off of Ukraine's Zorya Luhansk". As Avanhard Stadium is not available to use due to its damage and the continuing war, the team plays home games in Abramovka, Rostov Oblast, which is approximately 160 km away from Luhansk. For the 2026 season, Zarya was licensed for the fourth-tier Russian Second League Division B. It was assigned to Group 1.