Moscow had already been removed as host of the final leg of the Karate 1-Premier League season by the World Karate Federation (WKF), and the capital has now lost the 2023 European Karate Championships as well.

The decision to move the event from Moscow was made during an extraordinary meeting of the WKF Executive Committee.

A replacement host will now be sought by the EKF.

The WKF, karate's global governing, is still yet to make a decision on whether to follow International Olympic Committee (IOC) advice and ban all competitors from Russian and Belarus.

A meeting with National Federations to discuss the subject has been set for Monday (March 7).

At least 331 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded the nation on February 24, according to the United Nations, although the true figure is thought to be far higher.

More than a million people have fled Ukraine, where capital Kyiv has been subject to missile strikes and second city Kharkiv has been subject to particularly heavy shelling.

Belarus is assisting with the invasion.

"Amid the current regrettable circumstances, we want to express our deepest concerns and sympathies to all of those affected by this crisis," EKF and WKF President Antonio Espinós said.

"We hope that a solution to the conflict can be found soon so normalcy is restored and thus our events can safely be hosted again all over Europe."

Gaziantep in Turkey is due to hold this year's European Championships, from May 25 to 29.