A boxing tournament was held at an underground subway station in Kharkiv ©YouTube

Ukraine's Olympic boxing team took part in a tournament held underground at a subway station in Kharkiv.

The unique event was held beneath the earth for "security reasons" amid the Russian invasion of the country.

Olympic team boxers were joined by military personnel for bouts which attracted hundreds of fans.

The tournament was dedicated to the "heroes" of Kharkiv - a city in eastern Ukraine which has been on the front-line of Vladimir Putin's invasion.

Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, has been regularly bombarded by Russia which viewed it as a major target.

However, Putin's forces have failed to capture the city and were pushed back in the Battle of Kharkiv which took place shortly after the invasion in February 2022.

The city lies just 19 miles south of the Russian border.

Boxing official Boris van der Vorst highlighted the subway event on Twitter.

The Dutchman is a key player behind the creation of World Boxing, which has been set-up to rival the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Van der Vorst, who has announced that he is stepping down as President of the Dutch Boxing Federation, unsuccessfully challenged Russia's Umar Kremlev for the IBA Presidency last year.

The IBA has been stripped of the rights to organise Olympic boxing tournaments by the International Olympic Committee due to concerns over its judging and refereeing, financial stability and governance.

Kremlev has also caused controversy by allowing boxers from Russia to compete with their own flag and national anthem amid the invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine was among a number of countries which boycotted this year's IBA men's World Championships in Uzbekistan and women's event in India.

"Ukrainian boxers, forced by the IBA to miss the World Championships, stepped into the underground ring and showcased their true fighting spirit," Van der Vorst said.

"Held in a metro station and streamed live, this was the first sports competition held in Kharkiv since the start of the invasion."

Vadym Gutsait, Ukraine's Sports Minister and the President of its National Olympic Committee, has said dozens of sports facilities have been destroyed or damaged in the Kharkiv region.