A PETITION has been set up for Oxford City Council to sever the link with its Russian twin town Perm because of its strong connection to the country's war effort in Ukraine

The campaign is led by Pawel Swietach, an Oxford University lecturer from Poland.

Prof Swietach described the situation in Ukraine as "heartbreaking" and demanded the city break its friendship link with its twin town near the Urals – an important centre of aviation engineering, crucial to the Russian military.

READ MORE: POLL: Do you think Oxford should maintain its link to Russian town?

He said the Perm link went against Oxford’s "moral compass" and legitimised Russia’s actions by giving it a connection to a city with prestige among the international community.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been raging for over a week now, the number of civilian deaths leading to a war crime investigation by the International Criminal Court.

The academic, who witnessed conflict while living in Iraq, called on the city council to act quickly.

“This morning, like every weekend, I will take my family for a walk around the city limits and pass the familiar welcome sign that lists our twin cities. But today, I will feel shame that Perm is on that list.”

He instead proposed twinning with a Ukrainian city "at that county’s time of need", and asked what had been achieved through the Perm link?

“Can we really be paired with a city that is the exact opposite of what we stand for?”, he asked. “Now is a time where a lot of links to Russia are being severed and we really need a more coordinated approach.

READ MORE: Mystery 'vandal' strikes Russian twin city off Oxford welcome sign

"Our local government needs to take stronger action. We don’t want to be associated.”

Prof Sweitach said Perm had a rich military history, with Aviadvigatel, at the Perm Engine Plant, building engines for Il-76 cargo planes used in the invasion of Ukraine.

The professor, who came to Oxford as a student of Oxford University in 1998, fears that the conflict may last for months and is going to get worse.

Oxford has been officially twinned with Perm since 1995 after the end of the Soviet era.

Oxford's twinning allows cultural exchanges to take place between the two cities.

READ MORE: Ukrainians living in Oxford say it is 'completely unacceptable' that council has no plans to cut ties with twin cities in Russia

Oxford International Links and the city council released a joint statement saying: “The Oxford Perm Association is a friendly twinning link between people in Oxford and people in Perm.

“We value our personal contacts and agree with our Perm friends that over more than 25 years we have been ‘building a bridge of understanding, learning and mutual support’.

“At this time of horror and tragedy for both Ukrainians and Russians, we believe it is crucial to continue to support the Oxford Perm link and to show the value of personal friendships between citizens of both our cities.”

Mr Swietach has already received 110 signatures out of the 200 he hopes to achieve, and hopes to speak to the council on March 21.

The petition can be found on: 38degrees.org.uk 

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