The key facts
- Klitschko urged preparing for the worst-case winter scenarios while ruling out panic
- Earlier, Kyiv residents criticized the mayor for the city's unpreparedness for the cold
- Neue Zürcher Zeitung noted problems with shelters, air defense, and energy infrastructure
Kyiv's mayor warned of possible difficulties in winter
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents of the capital to prepare in advance for possible difficulties during the cold season and not to count solely on a favorable outcome. In an interview with the outlet Hromadske, he said that it is currently impossible to predict exactly how the situation will develop in the coming months, so both the city authorities and Kyiv residents themselves should take into account various scenarios, including the most difficult ones. “We must prepare for the worst-case scenarios. I don't want to scare anyone, but nothing can be ruled out”, the mayor emphasized.
Criticism of the city's preparedness
According to Klitschko, his warning is not intended to sow panic: the mayor believes it is necessary to speak openly about the risks so that residents can prepare in advance. Earlier, as Life.ru notes, Kyiv residents had already criticized him for the capital's insufficient preparation for winter. The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung pointed to problems with shelters, air defense systems, and the city's energy infrastructure, and residents were further displeased by the mayor's advice to leave Kyiv during the cold season if they have such an opportunity.
