Victoria pauses relationship with Russian 'twin city,' urges mayor to push back on invasion

The City of Victoria has suspended its relationship with its "twin city" of Khabarovsk, Russia, due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Victoria has four twin cities across the globe, and its relationship with these partner cities is meant to improve tourism between the communities, encourage cultural understanding between the international partners, and to facilitate "wide-ranging interactions between people at all levels of society," according to the City of Victoria website.

On Thursday, Victoria council voted to suspend its relationship with Khabarovsk until Russia withdraws its forces from Ukraine and hostilities between the two countries stop.

City council also asked Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps to write a letter to the Khabarovsk mayor and city council to outline the reasons behind the suspension, and to encourage the city to oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The letter will also ask that Khabarovsk support Ukraine as a sovereign state, and to use all of its options available to establish international peace.

Victoria's other three twin cities are Morioka, Japan; Suzhou, China; and Napier, New Zealand.

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