Kiev mayor exchanges barbs with Zelensky about helping capital residents

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The mayor of Kiev, former professional boxer Vitali Klitschko, exchanged barbs on Sunday (27) with the president of Ukraine and his allies about how to help the city’s residents withstand the power cuts.

Klitschko said 430 “heating centers” were helping residents cope with the effects of Russian attacks on power plants and more than 100 were planned in case of extreme conditions. President Volodymir Zelensky said last week that there were many complaints about the measures adopted in the capital.

“I don’t want to get involved in political battles, especially in the current situation,” Klitschko said in a video posted on Telegram. “That doesn’t make sense. I have things to do in town.”

Klitschko, who was involved in several disputes with Zelensky before the invasion, said the president’s allies engaged in “manipulations” about the city’s efforts, including a series of “incomprehensible photos” posted online.

“To put it mildly, this is not good. Not for Ukrainians or our foreign partners,” Klitschko said. “Today, like never before, everyone must come together and work together. And here we have a kind of political game.”

But one of the president’s main allies struck another blow, saying Klitschko’s explanations “differ considerably” from what residents reported. David Arakhamia, head of the Servants of the People group in Parliament, gave the mayor a week to correct the problems and submit to aid center inspections.

Zelensky last week promoted the efforts of thousands of “invincibility centers” set up across Ukraine to provide heat, water, internet and mobile phone connections. In his late-night video address on Friday, Zelensky said the capital’s mayor had not done enough to help besieged residents.

“To say the least, more work is needed,” he said.

Zelenski was elected by an overwhelming majority in 2019, five years after Klitschko took office. Before the war, the two leaders had clashed over the way the capital and its services were being managed.

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