Zelensky faults Kyiv over outages, Klitschko hits back
Even isolated drone hits knock out power and water across the capital, the president said, floating changes to Kyiv's governance. Mayor Klitschko called the accusations unfounded.
Archive image · Photo: Київська міська державна адміністрація / Київська міська рада / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the capital, Kyiv, of lagging behind other regions in preparing for the heating season. "Even isolated hits by Shaheds cause electricity and water outages across large parts of the capital," he said after an Oct. 12 meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. He said he had begun consultations on urgent measures, including better protection of energy facilities, coordination with the government and military, and changes to Kyiv's governance procedures.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko rejected the accusations as "unfounded" on Telegram on Oct. 13. He accused the central government of trying to undermine local self-government by removing community leaders on fabricated grounds. Russian attacks on Oct. 8 and Oct. 11 left large parts of Kyiv without electricity and water. Ukraine introduced nationwide energy resilience plans in March to protect critical infrastructure before winter.