Klitschko in the Rada: “Where are the billions allocated for energy protection?”

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko addressed the Verkhovna Rada and demanded answers from the central authorities about the state of the capital’s air defenses and the fate of funds allocated for the protection of energy facilities.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the city leader’s speech in parliament.

According to Klitschko, the city authorities continue “with all their strength” to maintain the capital’s vital functions amid massive shelling. He noted that last year Kyiv’s heat and power generating facilities were struck 19 times, while this year the number has grown to nearly 50. Despite the constant attacks, utility workers repaired equipment and prepared facilities for the heating season. The city also faced a shortage of workers at municipal enterprises and a halt in payments.

Amid criticism directed at the city authorities, Klitschko put sharp questions to the central government:

“You can say whatever you want, blame Klitschko for World War Three even… But it’s not just my question: where is the air defense to protect the capital? Where is the protection of Ukrenergo facilities? Where are the billions that were allocated for this?” — the Kyiv mayor declared.

Klitschko separately informed members of parliament about the backup energy supply sources the capital had been building up during the full-scale war. According to him, Kyiv has prepared around 700 generators of varying capacity for heat and water supply facilities, as well as 70 mobile boiler units. Three diesel power stations and a backup water intake facility have already been built in the city. Kyivvodokanal has 103 generators and is awaiting additional high-capacity systems for water supply that are being manufactured abroad. More than 6,000 generators, inverters, and batteries have been purchased for residential buildings. All of the capital’s educational institutions, the mayor said, are equipped with generators.

Klitschko also reported that Kyiv’s hospitals have 480 generators, 15 medical facilities have their own wells, and six more are under construction. Eleven hospitals already have autonomous heat supply from their own boiler rooms, and such systems are planned to be installed in 21 medical facilities by the end of the year.

As head of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, the mayor drew attention to the difficulties communities have faced ahead of the heating season. According to him, the government’s blocking of payments from local budgets is creating problems not only for Kyiv but for other cities as well.

“Someone out there is talking about how other cities have prepared — supposedly unlike Kyiv. That’s not true! Today all communities are in shock. All cities are dealing with problems created by the government when it froze payments. Local self-governance in Ukraine is being destroyed — and not only in Kyiv. Community leaders are being removed on fabricated grounds, absurd accusations are being made, people are being intimidated with criminal cases,” — the capital’s mayor said.

Concluding his speech, Klitschko emphasized Kyiv’s strategic role and made clear that threats to the city come not only from outside.

“Kyiv is the heart of the state, which the enemy is trying to destroy. But the political operators inside the country are no less dangerous,” — the mayor summed up.

The occasion for Klitschko’s address to the Rada was an initiative by Servant of the People MP Maryana Bezugla, who on October 13 demanded that the mayor be summoned to parliament. The ruling party demanded that Klitschko explain why the city’s critical infrastructure facilities are not protected, even though, according to her, this falls within the responsibility of the government and the Defense Forces. Klitschko had previously also responded to accusations of disrupting the heating season.