Manchester is to suspend a 'friendship agreement' with St Petersburg following the Russian invasion of Ukraine it has been confirmed.
It comes as the city's Ukrainian community urged civic leaders to scrap the link in protest at Vladimir Putin's "barbaric military assault" and instead enter a twinning arrangement with a Ukrainian city.
The partnership with St Petersburg is Manchester's "oldest formal link" according to the city council's website, and dates back to a friendship agreement signed in 1962, "with a strong focus on cultural exchange throughout the relationship. "
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However, ahead of a huge solidarity rally in Piccadilly Gardens his afternoon, the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain called on Manchester to break all ties with Russia.
Martyn Chymera, , Director of the organisation, who lives in Stoneclough near Bolton said: "Glasgow were twinned with Rostov-on-Don and they suspended that yesterday.
"I think it would be very powerful if Andy Burnham could contact his opposite number in St Petersburg and ask why they are not allowing anti-war demonstrations as there have been protests there.
"I wouldn't expect a positive response to be honest.
"But Manchester's proud history is a democratic one so to be linked with a city that isn't being democratic should be a big cause for concern.
"I just don't think the cities are aligned.
"And I think it would send out a very strong statement of solidarity if a new partnership could be formed with a city in Ukraine."
This afternoon, the leader of Manchester City Council, Coun Bev Craig, confirmed moves were already afoot to suspend the link, as a result of the conflict.
"The events in Ukraine are deeply concerning and we stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people," she said.
"Manchester is not twinned with any Russian cities, but, has held a friendship agreement with St Petersburg and its citizens for over half a century.
"We are moving to suspend our friendship agreement.
"Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people, and indeed, the people of Russia who are protesting against their Government's actions."
Coun Pat Karney, Secretary of the Manchester Labour Group, said he "liked the idea" of forming a new partnership with a Ukrainian city and that it would be discussed at a meeting next week.
Several hundred people attended the rally in Piccadilly Gardens this afternoon.
The crowd held Ukrainian flags, and homemade placards denouncing the invasion whilst chanting “Putin out, stop the war”
Earlier a similar event was held in Bolton town centre.
This morning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country had survived a night of assaults on Kyiv with the country's defence ministry saying Russia 'did not take a single city.'
The British Ministry of Defence said Ukrainian armed forces had put up "staunch resistance across the country" and that Russian casualties are "likely to be heavy and greater than anticipated or acknowledged by the Kremlin."
