Vitali Klitschko fiercely attacks Zelensky, accuses him of authoritarianism

(Patria) - Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko gave an interview to The Times in which he fiercely criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and accused him of authoritarianism.

The two most famous Ukrainian politicians are now, instead of shoulder to shoulder, in open political war. Their long-standing latent conflict has escalated into the public eye – and it seems Klitschko can hardly emerge from this political clinch. Zelensky, using his wartime powers, appointed a parallel military administration in the capital, directly challenging the mayor's authority.

Meanwhile, an anti-corruption campaign called "Clean City" has resulted in a series of arrests – seven of Klitschko's associates have been detained, and three more are under investigation. All this happened at a time when speculation is rife that Klitschko is again eyeing the presidency, although he once withdrew in 2014.

Klitschko, 53, hit back fiercely. He accused the Zelensky administration of obstructing the work of the city government with "raids, interrogations and threats of fabricated cases", meaning city councillors can no longer legally make decisions. "This is a purge of democracy under the guise of war," he told the British The Times. "I have already said that Ukraine smells of authoritarianism. Now – it stinks."

The conflict is not only political but also personal. When Klitschko criticised Zelensky's negotiation strategy in February, the president retorted mockingly: "Klitschko is an excellent athlete, but I didn't know he was also a speaker."

Klitschko claims that Zelensky is using the war to seize power from elected mayors by installing military administrations across the country. "Many mayors are afraid, but my fame protects me. You can dismiss the mayor of Chernihiv, but it's hard to dismiss the mayor of the capital, whom the whole world knows," Klitschko says. "That's why they want to discredit and destroy me."

However, experts warn that the conflict has deeper roots. Political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko says the arrests are the result of real corruption in the Kyiv administration. "This is not just about politics. There are real problems," he said. "Kyiv has a lot of money, and some business interests connected to the president want access to that money."

He added that money for the country's defence often ends up in construction projects. "In Donbas, parks are being renovated, stadiums are being built, and the front line is right there, next door."

Residents of Kyiv are puzzled as to why, amid Russian air strikes, skyscrapers are being built instead of shelters, schools and hospitals. Many projects use the so-called "toilet scheme" – investors first place a portable toilet on a public plot, and then, exploiting legal loopholes and bribes, erect a skyscraper.

Several of Klitschko's associates have been accused of irregularities in issuing construction permits. His former deputy, Petro Olenych, has been accused of taking bribes to help recruits avoid mobilisation. Denys Komarnytskyi, a former city councillor under investigation for embezzlement, fled to Austria.

Klitschko claims he has already dismissed eight of the ten disputed officials. "The city administration employs 300,000 people. Corruption sometimes happens, but we react quickly and cooperate with the investigation," he says.

But criticism of him has persisted for years. Kyiv is choking on traffic, the promised fourth metro line has not been built, and last year some existing stations were closed due to poor maintenance. Instead, the city relies on outdated "marshrutkas" – small private buses that still only accept cash and emit clouds of diesel smoke, reports Jutarnji.

Klitschko claims it is all a setup from the presidential office: "Lies and manipulations coming from the president's office and the Servant of the People party."

In August, Zelensky appointed Timur Tkachenko as head of the military administration in Kyiv – a man who is now emerging as Klitschko's main rival. "Klitschko couldn't even close a brothel in the basement of the building where he lives," said Tkachenko, alluding to the Tootsies strip club, closed last month due to a human trafficking investigation. The club is located in a building owned by the Klitschko brothers. The mayor claims he has nothing to do with the club and does not control what private entrepreneurs do.

Tkachenko does not mince words: "When corruption flourishes – from construction sites to cemeteries – it cannot happen without the knowledge of the city authorities. This mayor has been in power for more than ten years, without transparency and with a bunch of shady schemes. Kyiv deserves better," writes The Times.