President Zelenskyy lashes out at Vitali Klitschko after a mother and her child were killed in front of a locked bomb shelter in Kyiv.
Kiev – Vitali Klitschko, mayor of the Ukrainian capital Kiev since 2014, has already had some tough fights as a heavyweight boxer. Now an exchange of blows with his president is in the offing. After three people, including a nine-year-old child, died in front of a locked bomb shelter on Thursday, Volodymyr Zelensky threatens the retired champion with a "knockout".
The President of Ukraine and Kiev's mayor Vitali Klitschko, who also came to fame in Germany as a multiple boxing world champion, have never been real friends. Zelensky has been criticized several times, including because of the energy supply in the capital.
Now the rift between the politicians seems to be deepening. After three people, including a 34-year-old mother and her nine-year-old child, were killed in Kyiv, Zelensky attacked Klitschko in little concealment. People were reportedly hit by falling rocket fragments as they waited in vain at dawn for a locked bomb shelter to be opened.
Bunker stunt between Klitschko and Zelensky: The Ukrainian president threatens the mayor of Kiev with "knockout". (Symbolic image) © IMAGO/Maxym Marusenko
Zelensky opens fight against Klitschko: "There could be a knockout"
In view of the ongoing nightly Russian missile and drone attacks, problems with shelters are accumulating in Ukraine - also in the capital. In his evening video message published on Friday, Zelensky relatively unequivocally blamed Mayor Klitschko for this: "This level of negligence in the city cannot be covered by any justifications," he explained.
"Russia as an enemy is not enough for us, we also have internal enemies," the Ukrainian head of state told journalists in Moldova after the tragic event on Friday. "Let me put it this way: There could be a knockout," Seleznkyi clearly slapped in the direction of the former boxing champ, as reported by the Independent, among others, "everyone will be held accountable. The response will be decisive."
Kyiv's bunker in catastrophic condition: almost a quarter unusable
During inspections, it was found that almost a quarter of Ukraine's bomb shelters are unusable. The Interior Ministry said on Saturday that of the 4,800 shelters inspected in Kyiv, 252 were locked and 893 were "unusable." Vitali Klitschko added on Telegram that within a day of setting up a feedback service, the city received "more than a thousand" complaints about locked or unusable shelters.
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However, the mayor of Kiev blamed the local officials appointed by the president, who are responsible for taking care of the shelters: "Let me remind you that the relevant district heads of the capital are appointed by the president," Klitschko explained.
Bunker dispute: Observers suspect targeted attack on possible election competitors
Industry Minister Alexander Kamyshin was also "shocked" by the conditions. After his checks, he wanted to develop a plan for the reconstruction of the bunkers together with Kiev's mayor Klitschko, Kamyshin wrote on Twitter on Friday. It is questionable whether these promises can make President Zelensky peaceful.
Zelensky's attacks are interpreted by political observers in Kiev as a targeted attack on a possible competitor. There is always speculation that Klitschko could run against Zelensky in the upcoming presidential election in 2024. (Ulrike Hagen)