Klitschko Warns Kyiv Faces a Fight for Survival as Russian Strikes Threaten Winter Preparations
Kyiv Mayor Klitschko warned that intensified Russian strikes on bridges and energy infrastructure are threatening the capital’s preparations for winter. He urged residents with family outside the city to consider temporarily relocating as authorities prepare backup heating and supplies.
Russian strikes have escalated in recent weeks, targeting critical infrastructure and bridges in Kyiv, plunging the city into a mode of survival as winter approaches, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The attacks have caused power outages and water shortages, leaving residents on edge after last year's devastating winter when heating and electricity were disrupted for days.
Klitschko, a former world heavyweight champion and mayor since 2014, emphasized that every day brings news of destroyed buildings, injuries, and fatalities, intensifying the city's struggle. He urged residents with friends or family outside Kyiv to consider temporary relocation, echoing a prior suggestion that sparked backlash last year, though he ruled out a full evacuation, deeming it Putin's objective.
Russian forces initially advanced on Kyiv but were later repelled, but the city has now become a prime target for long-range missile and drone strikes, resulting in at least 534 deaths since the 2022 invasion, with 189 fatalities this year alone. Klitschko warned that disruptions to Kyiv's water infrastructure could lead to a "quite large-scale" crisis, as the city prepares for winter by building backup heating systems and stockpiling essential supplies.
Despite facing criticism, he firmly rejected accusations of lagging in winter preparations, emphasizing the city's limited resources and time constraints.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
