Coventry Observer reports that on 23 February Coventry City Council agreed to remove the Russian Federation flag from the Council House after a request by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB). that Dr Mario Kosmirak, Chair of the AUGB Coventry AUGB branch, and Roman Leshchyshyn this afternoon met with city council leader Councillor George Duggins, Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor John McNicholas, and Councillors Gary Ridley and Peter Male.

George Duggins told the Ukrainian visitors that he had issued an instruction for the Russian Federation flag to be removed and that he would be writing to the Mayor of Volgograd to express the City of Coventry’s condemnation of the Russian Federation’s threats and military actions against Ukraine.

The following day, the two wings of the Whittle Arch in Millennium Place, Coventry were lit with the colours of the Ukrainian flag, blue and yellow, in a show of support for the Ukrainian people as Russia continues its illegal and unjustified invasion.

Photo credit: Coventry City Council

Leading members of both sides within Coventry City Council issued a statement expressing their deep disturbance over the events in Ukraine, offering their deepest sympathy to the people of Ukraine, condemning this unprovoked aggression and calling upon President Putin to call off this assault.

This all came the day before Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning its invasion. On that evening Coventry Cathedral was also lit by the same colours.

Photo credit: Coventry City Council

People from the Ukrainian community in Coventry have spoken to the BBC of their fears after Russian forces launched a major attack on their country.

Coventry Ukrainian Social Club at 103 Leicester Causeway hosted a music festival on 26 February to raise money for the people of Ukraine. Further donations may be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/helpukraine-emergency-appeal. The club has been the centre of Ukrainians to meet and find news of events.

See the Coventry Ukrainian Community’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CoventryUkrainianCommunity/. Coventry Telegraph carried the views of some of the many Ukrainians living in the city.

Dean of Coventry Cathedral John Witcombe broadcast a prayer for Ukraine, available on Facebook.

Coventry MP for Coventry North West Taiwo Owatemi wrote: “The Russian military invasion of Ukraine is beyond shameful. I stand unequivocally with the Ukrainian people and our Ukrainian community here in Coventry.”

Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South,  said: “I send my solidarity to the people of Ukraine and to Ukrainians in Coventry and across Britain. I call on the British government to provide safe passage for Ukrainians displaced by this conflict and to welcome them here in Britain.”

The Right Rev Christopher Cocksworth said he had asked the city council if it would be ready to receive refugees and “there was an immediate response. That was an immensely proud moment.”

In a tweet, the city council said that “as a proud city of peace and reconciliation, we condemn this unprovoked aggression on Ukraine”.

But as Ukraine’s neighbouring countries welcome hundreds of thousands of refugees and and other European Union prepare to accept them, the British government, still burning with the isolationism of Brexit, has failed to take any action to open its frontiers to them. The BBC reports that, although the UK has waived visa fees, and relaxed criteria, most Ukrainians still need a visa if arriving in the UK from Ukraine.