Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has slammed Kiev city authorities for an “almost complete failure” to protect the capital’s critical infrastructure from Russian attacks, escalating his longstanding feud with Mayor Vitaly Klitschko, who blames central government corruption.
In a social media post on Friday, Zelensky reported “extensive damage” to power grids following Russian strikes and criticized delays in strengthening infrastructure defenses across Ukraine, singling out Kiev for failing to take the necessary precautions.
His remarks came a day after Klitschko urged residents to consider temporarily leaving the capital, warning that the city was in “survival mode” as winter approaches.
In an interview with AFP on Thursday, Klitschko said Kiev was stockpiling food, drinking water and fuel. He urged residents with friends or relatives outside the capital to consider staying with them temporarily. However, he ruled out a full evacuation.
The mayor issued a similar warning in January, when a severe energy crisis left thousands of residential buildings without heating in freezing temperatures. The appeal sparked a public confrontation with Zelensky, who accused city authorities of failing to prepare adequately.
Speaking to AFP, Klitschko again blamed some of the shortcomings in Kiev’s winter preparations on Zelensky’s government. Rejecting accusations that city officials had fallen behind, he argued that “finding scapegoats won’t make people warmer.”
In a separate interview with Germany’s Bild published on Wednesday, Klitschko criticized corruption scandals linked to Zelensky’s administration, warning that wartime graft was “a real poison” for Ukraine.
The dispute comes amid escalating long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine. Last week, Zelensky pledged to intensify attacks on Russian oil refineries, prompting Moscow to announce expanded strikes on Ukrainian military and defense-industrial facilities and supporting infrastructure, including in Kiev.
Moscow has said its strikes are in retaliation for Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on civilian targets inside Russia. According to Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik, 29 people, including two children, were killed in such attacks in the week ending October 4.
Klitschko warned that even extensive preparations might prove insufficient if the capital’s air defenses failed to repel further strikes.
Zelensky acknowledged a “big deficit” in air defenses on Thursday, appealing to Western backers for more interceptor missiles ahead of winter. Multiple media reports have linked shortages of Patriot interceptors in US and allied stockpiles to the US-Israeli war with Iran.
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