Kyiv mayor calls out 'political dances' as Zelenskyy criticizes his efforts to help Ukrainians after Russian attacks threaten power and heat

Vitalii Klychko, the mayor of Kyiv, attends a plenary session of the KMDA (Kyiv City Council) on November 24, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Oleksii Samsonov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called out the mayor of Kyiv for not doing enough during the war.
• Mayor Vitali Klitschko defended his efforts publicly in a response on Telegram.
• Ukrainians are bracing for a deadly winter after Russia's bombardment damaged their power grid.

After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the mayor of Kyiv of not being "serious" in responding to the aftermath of Russia's recent wartime attacks, Mayor Vitali Klitschko clapped back on Telegram.

"Today, when everyone must work together, some political dances begin," Klitschko, a Hall of Fame boxer, wrote, according to Al Jazeera. "In Kyiv, we are doing everything we can for the life support of the capital, for the comfort of its residents. In difficult conditions."

Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine has persisted since February. Russia has suffered several losses, controlling just 17% of Ukraine, the smallest percentage it has held since April, according to The Washington Post.

As heavy Russian bombardment has overwhelmed the country's power grid, Ukrainians are bracing for a harsh and deadly winter, NBC News reported.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Friday address that Klitschko was not meeting the needs of the people in Kyiv. 

"Unfortunately, local authorities have not performed well in all cities. In particular, there are a lot of complaints in Kyiv … To put it mildly, more work is needed," Zelenskyy said. 

"Please pay attention. Kyiv residents need more protection," he added. " I expect quality work from the mayor's office."

Klitschko's rebuttal on Sunday continues: "I do not want, especially in the current situation, to enter into political battles. It's ridiculous."

"To put it mildly, this is not nice. Not for Ukrainians or for our foreign partners," Klitschko said, drawing a parallel to Zelenskyy's earlier remarks. 

Tensions between the two are nothing new. Klitschko didn't support Zelenskyy before his election in 2019, according to NPR. That same year, Zelenskyy tried to remove Klitschko from his role as mayor, according to The Ukrainian Weekly.

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