Lviv and Donetsk link up

Ukraine's deputy prime minister Borys Kolesnikov has described Lviv's special UEFA EURO 2012 flowerbed, unveiled to mark two years until the finals commence, as "a masterpiece from local gardeners".

More than 5,000 flowers have been planted to create the bed, which is situated in Ploscha Svodody (Freedom Square). As with the other Ukrainian host cities, Lviv has also launched its own tournament logo, incorporating five of its most prominent buildings. "With this emblem we wanted to show the diversity of nations and cultures that have existed in Lviv since the city was founded," said mayor Andriy Sadovyi.

Mr Kolesnikov, who was among those to take the first UEFA EURO 2012 tram connecting the main railway station to the city centre, added: "Ukrainian football was born in Lviv. Many great pages in the history of Ukrainian football were written here and I believe UEFA EURO 2012 will become the greatest of them."

The final part of the day's celebrations was a ceremony to celebrate the start of direct flights between Lviv and Donetsk. Guests and media alike attending the celebrations in Lviv were the first to benefit from the new route, boarding a flight to Donetsk to witness further commemorations in Donbass.

Scherbakov Park, a recreational hub among locals, hosts Donetsk's official tournament flowerbed. "It's a perfect location for the flowerbed as our park was named one of the best in the country," Donetsk mayor Oleksandr Lukyanchenko said before unveiling the city's civic logo.