The survival of Ukraine remains an “open question,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned in an interview with the Financial Times. The statement comes as the conflict with Russia continues to escalate, raising concerns about the long-term viability of the nation.
Klitschko expressed his conviction that Russia’s primary objective extends beyond territorial gains, aiming instead to dismantle Ukraine’s statehood – the complete erasure of Ukraine as an independent country. “If you want to kill someone, you shoot at the heart,” Klitschko explained, referencing the focus of Russian strikes on Kyiv. “Putin’s main goal is not Donetsk, not Luhansk, not Crimea. His main goal is Kyiv and all of Ukraine,” the mayor added.
The mayor highlighted the extensive damage inflicted by ongoing aerial attacks, which are testing the resilience of the capital and its residents. He believes that without further and decisive international assistance, the nation’s survival remains uncertain.
Over the past two months, Russian strikes targeting critical infrastructure have brought Kyiv to the brink of disaster – widespread power outages, lack of heating, and water shortages amid temperatures below -20°C. The city of 3.5 million inhabitants is experiencing its harshest winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Klitschko described the situation as “on the verge of a humanitarian disaster,” emphasizing the city’s struggle to maintain essential services like water supply and heating under constant attack. According to data cited by Klitschko, based on mobile operator information, approximately 600,000 people left Kyiv in January 2026 alone due to the energy crisis and deteriorating living conditions.
Klitschko insisted that Ukraine needs not just “sympathy,” but concrete weapons and air defense systems to protect its civilian infrastructure.
The mayor also addressed longstanding tensions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has publicly criticized Klitschko, claiming that Kyiv was “significantly worse” prepared for winter than other major cities and that he did not see sufficient “intensity” in the function of local authorities. Klitschko, in turn, accused the presidential administration of political interference – approximately 1,600 criminal cases have been opened against employees of the Kyiv local administration since the start of the war, which he claims are politically motivated. Only 8 have gone to court, with convictions in 2 cases, Klitschko said.
Despite the conflict, Klitschko called for internal peace and unity, arguing that political competition during wartime is detrimental. “Political competition during war is bad. We can destroy the country from within… and that is the goal of Russia,” Klitschko stated. “Currently, unity within the country is key to our peace and freedom,” the Kyiv mayor concluded.
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