Doncaster cuts ties with Russian twin-town of Ozyorsk as Mansion House lights up for Ukraine

Mayor Ros Jones, who was addressing councillors at a recent meeting in Civic Office, also announced the town’s Mansion House, library and museum would be lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

In her speech, she called the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘nothing more than lies’ after he said he had no plan to invade Ukraine.

Mayor Jones offered the town’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people and said the whole of Doncaster had Ukraine in their thoughts and prayers.

Ozyorsk, in the Chelyabinsk oblast has a population of 90,000 and was one of the main areas of the USSR nuclear weapons programme during the Cold War.

The towns linked in the early 1990s following the fall of the Soviet Union to promote stronger ties with the newly formed Russian Federation.

The move comes on the same day that Wakefield Council announced it would be cutting its ties with the Russian city of Belgorod where rockets were fired from around the city into Ukraine.

In solidarity, the Mansion House and the town’s library and musuem have been lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Mayor Jones said: “We have all seen over recent weeks and months the build-up of the Russian military on the Ukrainian border, with the Russian President stating on numerous occasions that there was no plan to invade Ukraine. The past few days have proved this to be nothing more than lies.

“My sympathy goes out to the people of Ukraine. It’s the innocent men, women and children who will be the biggest victims of this war.

“I trust that Western allies can find ways and means of freeing the people of Ukraine from this oppression, and that the people of Ukraine can once again enjoy the freedom that they deserve, away from tyranny and terror.

“Doncaster is currently twinned with Ozyorsk in Russia, I must inform council that I plan to formally end this twinning relationship, in outrage to the actions of the Russian President Vladimir Putin who has invaded a previously peaceful and democratic country and brought war to the European continent, not seen in over 75 years.

“Doncaster stands with Ukraine during this difficult time, and anything that we think is difficult in this country pales into insignificance when we see what the people of Ukraine are now having to endure.

“In support of Ukraine, from this evening we will be lighting our Mansion House and Doncaster Gallery, Library and Museum in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, in solidarity and support for Ukraine and Ukrainians across the world.

“The thoughts and prayers of everyone here in Doncaster are with the Ukrainian people.”