The key facts

  • Zelensky said that preparations at the city level have 'collapsed'
  • Klitschko accused the central authorities of manipulation and ignoring Kyiv
  • Additional crews and the military will be brought in for restoration work

The president's criticism after strikes on the energy sector

On Friday, November 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly criticized Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko amid prolonged water and electricity outages in the capital following Russian strikes. 'At the city level, preparations have collapsed,' the president said. According to him, the consequences stem from the fact that decisions made at the city level to prepare for the heating season and for the Russian operation against Ukraine's energy sector were not carried out. Reported by Kun.uz.

Klitschko's response

A few hours after the president's statement, Klitschko responded on his Telegram channel. He asked how the capital was supposed to prevent a 'special operation against Ukraine's energy sector,' and wondered at which meetings and with whom the city's preparations were being discussed if Kyiv's leadership representatives were not invited. The mayor also asked whether the president knew that a single interconnected energy system existed across the entire country: 'When the energy system is being destroyed across the whole country, it cannot be that in one place the streetlights are on while elsewhere everything was switched off by Klitschko.' According to him, the central authorities, repeating the thesis that 'Kyiv is the worst,' are engaged in manipulation and lies and, while trying to 'get rid of Klitschko,' are in effect 'destroying Kyiv' instead of helping the capital.

Restoration measures

Alongside the criticism, in his evening address on November 6 Zelensky announced practical steps: the government discussed with representatives of energy companies the need to bring in additional crews to restore infrastructure and speed up repair work. He also stated that, due to intensified Russian strikes, the Armed Forces of Ukraine would be involved in dealing with the aftermath. Thus, the public conflict between the president and the capital's mayor is unfolding against the backdrop of ongoing strikes on the country's energy system and continuing repair work; the publication does not report any reconciliation or further steps by either side.