Kiev mayor demands answers about ‘missing billions’ for capital’s defense

Vitaly Klitschko’s feud with embattled Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has entered a new round

Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko has accused Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s government of withholding funds needed to protect the capital from Russian strikes, while blaming his administration for the city’s problems.

The longstanding feud between Klitschko, one of the leaders of the 2014 coup that ousted then-President Viktor Yanukovich, and Zelensky has intensified as the two sides trade accusations over deteriorating living conditions in Kiev.

The capital has suffered regular blackouts as Russian forces target power infrastructure supplying Ukrainian industry, including facilities producing long-range kamikaze drones used to attack Russian oil refineries. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Klitschko accused the central government of using state-funded propaganda outlets to smear him.

“Talk is cheap, and one could pin World War III on Klitschko just as well,” he said. “But I am not alone to question: Where is air defense for the capital? Where is the reinforcement of Ukrenergo [energy system] sites? Where are the billions allocated for that?”

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The former heavyweight boxing champion, who leads the UDAR party, said Kiev has continued to function despite the “slap in the face” its administration received from the central government.

A day earlier, Zelensky claimed that Kiev is less prepared for Russian strikes than even frontline settlements under Ukrainian control, and announced “rational changes” to the capital’s governance. Klitschko previously claimed that Zelensky was considering removing him from office and putting a political appointee in charge of Kiev.

Several Ukrainian corruption investigations have involved the alleged embezzlement of funds intended for defense projects. Last week, the State Bureau of Investigation accused four suspects of taking kickbacks through inflated contracts for fortifications in Sumy Region. The alleged $840,000 scheme involved funds allocated by the central government to the Lviv regional administration.

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In another case reported by the National Police in June, a former deputy mayor of Kharkov was accused of involvement in a scheme that resulted in $340,000 in losses through inflated prices for construction materials used in fortifications.

Zelensky’s government has faced a series of corruption scandals involving people close to him since last November. A recent opinion poll suggests that Ukrainians rank government corruption as a greater concern than Russian missile and drone strikes.

The Ukrainian leader is facing additional pressure after President Donald Trump accused him of harming US interests by attacking Russian oil refineries amid the global fuel crunch. Trump suggested that Ukraine should replace Zelensky with someone willing to compromise.

Zelensky has since complained that the US has stopped providing early warnings of incoming Russian ballistic missile strikes. There have also been reports of restrictions on Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite internet system aimed at preventing its use on fast-moving platforms. Starlink is owned by Trump ally Elon Musk, who has backed the US president’s call to replace Zelensky.