Kyiv deputy pushes Klitschko’s ouster over city governance crisis

A Kyiv City Council deputy says the capital is paralyzed under Mayor Vitali Klitschko’s leadership. Andrii Vitrenko insists Kyiv is being run for the benefit of friends and allies rather than residents.

Vitrenko voiced his criticism during an appearance on "Kyiv Time".

Vitrenko: Klitschko has usurped power and failed Kyiv in wartime

Vitrenko explained that he registered a draft resolution to dismiss Klitschko early because of what he calls a systemic governance crisis. According to him, the city government has stopped functioning in the interests of residents and instead serves "friends, relatives, and inner circle."

He stressed that under martial law, the administration has failed to react adequately to threats, while the Council has lost its role due to Klitschko’s usurpation of power.

"Today we see absolute paralysis of city governance, no adequate decisions, and no response to wartime threats. This proves the mayor’s inability to manage Kyiv’s infrastructure," Vitrenko said.

As an example, he pointed to Klitschko’s cancellation of a Council session scheduled to discuss his resolution. Vitrenko also reminded that 74 deputies had already expressed no confidence in Klitschko’s first deputy, but the mayor has spent more than 100 days refusing to enforce the decision.

"If a director is tired and ineffective, he gets replaced. Maybe this way Vitali Volodymyrovych will understand that he is not the owner. The owner is the Kyiv community — the residents of this city," Vitrenko concluded.

On September 23, Vitrenko formally initiated Klitschko’s early dismissal.

Read also: 

Klitschko cancels Council session to avoid no-confidence

MP slams Klitschko as weak manager of Kyiv