Kyiv residents were outraged by Klitschko's latest calls to leave the capital
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko’s latest statements about the need to switch to “survival mode” and, if possible, temporarily leave the capital have sparked a wave of criticism and sarcastic comments online.
Amid emergency power outages, water supply disruptions, and transportation problems, Kyiv residents are criticizing city officials for failing to adequately prepare the infrastructure for these challenging conditions. Journalists and residents also point out that the advice to temporarily leave the city fails to take into account the circumstances in which a significant portion of the population finds itself.
Financial Issues and the “Resilience Plan”
Journalists and residents of the capital point out that the advice to “just leave” is out of touch with the realities faced by most people.
In particular, journalist Yulia Boiko notes that relocating requires significant resources that many simply do not have:
“Electricity, heat, and water are all in serious jeopardy—I’m already aware of that; I’ve been sitting in the dark for two days now, without water, and on top of that, suffering from terrible food poisoning. Those who can are advised to leave. Where to? With what? And most importantly—where do you get the money to go to, say, Uzhhorod? Because ‘just leave’ is, of course, a brilliant plan. Tickets, housing, rent, food, and communication—probably all on survival mode too. Although here, for the first time, I’m actually in agreement with the mayor—soon Kyiv will become uninhabitable, and we’ll have to leave our homes and seek warmth and peace elsewhere…”
Journalist Iryna Baglay comments sarcastically on the authorities’ promises and notes that instead of clear reports, Kyiv residents hear only advice to evacuate the city.
Questions About the Budget and Public Utilities
Residents of the capital are asking tough questions about the appropriate use of the city budget during the crisis and the actual readiness of the infrastructure for the fall and winter months.
Journalist Yaroslav Zharinov drew attention to the strange allocation of resources in the city during the declared “survival mode.”
“Klitschko urged Kyiv residents to leave the city. At the same time, tons of paving stones were urgently laid along Holosiivskyi Avenue. This is what ‘survival mode’ looks like—take a look and don’t get confused,” he wrote.
In particular, journalist Anna Spivak highlights the massive spending and the lack of basic amenities.
“Kyiv residents have long been used to living with power outages. They’ve adapted—buying some things, putting up with others. But they still can’t get used to the chaos and the hysterical mayor. Of course, if we all left the city together, the city government’s problems would be reduced by 99%... The cost of the Resilience Plan is 37 billion hryvnias! And yet they couldn’t even secure a backup water supply... Where’s the money? It’s only October on the calendar—winter is still a long way off,” writes Anna Spivak.
Journalist Tetyana Urbanska shares this view, raising the question of whether it makes sense to pay utility bills:
“I read Klitschko’s interview with AFP… Well, what can I say? It’s the same old song: Kyiv residents, go stay with friends and relatives somewhere. Maybe we shouldn’t even pay utility bills anymore, since that’s the case? Because right now, those ‘services’ are in the same place as convenient and affordable public transportation…”
As a reminder, Klitschko urged Kyiv residents to consider temporarily leaving the city.
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