ISU events due to take place in Russia have been postponed ©Getty Images

The 2024 European Speed Skating Championships and European Short Track Speed Skating Championships have been postponed as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The former was supposed to take place in Kolomna, near Moscow, from January 5 to 7 in 2024 while Sochi was due to hold the Short Track event from January 12 to 14.

However, the International Skating Union (ISU) has informed the Russian Skating Union (ICR) the events would be delayed.

"We received a letter from the ISU about the postponement of the European Championships," said ICR Executive Committee member and Kolomna Speed Skating Centre director Sergey Orlov, as reported by Russian state news agency TASS.

"This was quite expected, since now we have only domestic competitions.

The ICR is said to be focusing on staging domestic events for its athletes missing out on international competitions ©Getty Images
The ICR is said to be focusing on staging domestic events for its athletes missing out on international competitions ©Getty Images

"Our task now is to prepare high-quality ice for Russian athletes, we are working for the country."

Russia also lost the right to host the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix because of its war with Ukraine.

Subsequently, Finland was named as a replacement for last month's competition. 

Athletes from Russia, and its ally Belarus, were banned from ISU competitions in March due to their involvement in the invasion.

At the governing body's Congress in June, the ban was extended but officials from the two countries were still allowed to stand in elections after surviving a vote to exclude them from the event.