Coventry writes to Russian city Volgograd to pause twinning link

Coventry twinned with Volgograd in World War Two when both cities saw heavy bombing

Coventry City Council has sent a letter to a Russian city to explain why it is suspending a twinning relationship.

The communication said the move with Volgograd had been taken "with a heavy heart" due to the conflict in Ukraine.

All councillors agreed with the action at a recent meeting but the authority stressed the suspension was a protest against the Russian government.

They hope to rebuild the relationship in the future but admitted reconciliation will be "long and hard".

In the meantime, the authority pledged to press ahead with exploring a twinning relationship with the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

Suspending the association with Volgograd had "not been taken lightly", council leader George Duggins said.

"As a city of peace and reconciliation we felt it right that the city of Coventry should take a stand and repeat our call for an end to hostilities," the Labour councillor added.

Leader of the Conservative opposition Gary Ridley added his support and said, under the circumstances, the move was the right decision.

Coventry united with Volgograd - formerly Stalingrad - in 1941, during World War Two, when both cities were heavily bombed.