Zelensky proposed to assemble a special team to help prepare Kyiv for winter. Who was to be part of it

President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to the Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky to form a special team of experienced managers and business representatives to develop solutions to prepare Kyiv for winter.

He said this at a meeting with journalists on Tuesday, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

"I asked the Prime Minister to assemble a special cabinet of business managers and strong people for Kyiv. I am ready to personally talk to whoever they name for me and ask him [or her]. Create such a cabinet and work out a solution. I will do what I can," Zelensky said.

According to him, he discussed this issue, in particular, with former SBU head Vasyl Malyuk, former Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, and former Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman, as well as representatives of business and government, but there were no willing participants.

"I wanted to include Malyuk in this group in the context of security issues. I also spoke with Kubrakov and Hroysman. [The head of the State Agency for Infrastructure Reconstruction and Development] Sukhomlyn refused as soon as he heard about Kyiv," the president explained.

He noted that Kyivʼs resilience plans have not been fully implemented, and the capitalʼs critical infrastructure is still not fully protected. Currently, various agencies are working daily on issues of electricity and water supply and bridge operation. According to him, critical infrastructure must be protected regardless of who owns the facilities.

Zelensky stressed that he does not consider the situation in Kyiv to be a matter of political confrontation, but acknowledged the difficulty of interacting with the city authorities. According to him, when he discusses with managers the possibility of strengthening the capital, the Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko perceives this as an attempt to replace him.

"I would really like the mayor to do everything by his own, but he canʼt do it by his own. And working together is difficult," Zelensky said.

What preceded

On October 9, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv city authorities had almost completely failed to implement the necessary steps under the Resilience Plan amid increased Russian attacks on the energy sector. The statement came after the capital began experiencing regular power and water outages amid Russian attacks.

Amid accusations of the capitalʼs poor preparation for the heating season, the MPs summoned the Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko to a session of the Verkhovna Rada. At the meeting, he rejected accusations that the city had failed to prepare for winter.

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