Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that on the day of the massive shelling of the capital’s energy and heat infrastructure, which occurred on January 9, a number of criminal proceedings were opened against the city’s utility companies. He emphasized that this creates additional pressure on local authorities.
This is reported by Finway
Scope of Criminal Proceedings and Their Impact on the City
According to Klitschko, since 2019, over 1500 criminal proceedings have been opened against the Kyiv City Council and its subordinate structures, with 110 employees receiving suspicions. However, 24 cases have already been closed, and there are court decisions for only a few proceedings. Klitschko stressed that such practices are characteristic not only of the capital but also of other cities in Ukraine, where over 300 community leaders have already been dismissed under various pretexts.
“But for 1560 proceedings, 110 employees received suspicions. However, 24 proceedings have been closed. There are two court decisions for all the proceedings. Everything is being done to smear and tell how bad everything is,” the mayor said.
Challenges in Addressing the Aftermath of Shelling and Preparing for Winter
After the missile strikes on Kyiv, the city authorities purchased generators for the water utility through a simplified procedure. However, the very next day, a criminal proceeding was opened regarding this procurement, which, according to Klitschko, complicates the work of utility services in addressing the aftermath of the shelling. The companies “Kyivteploenergo,” the water utility, and other organizations that ensure the city’s functioning in crisis conditions are under scrutiny.
In response to a question about the water utility’s readiness for winter, Klitschko reported that the enterprise is equipped with generators, but more powerful diesel generators still need to be purchased. He emphasized that all artesian wells and water supply sources of “Kyivvodokanal” have been equipped with backup power sources for several years.
The Mayor of Kyiv stressed that criminal proceedings, along with low salary levels and high staff turnover, create additional difficulties for the operation of utility services.
Impact of Criminal Cases on Cooperation with International Partners
Klitschko commented that the open cases by NABU, the “Clean City” operation, and other criminal proceedings do not negatively impact Kyiv’s negotiations with international partners. He noted that the individuals involved in the NABU cases were promptly dismissed from their positions after the suspicions were raised.
The mayor pointed out instances where accusations are unfounded. As an example, he cited the criminal proceeding against the head of the transport department regarding the closure of traffic on the blue line of the metro. According to him, violations occurred during the construction of this section back in Yanukovych’s time, and the current management acted to avoid emergencies. The mayor emphasized that the official was charged despite not being in office when the problems arose.
Klitschko added that such cases are often the result of official negligence, and similar accusations sometimes appear to be fabricated.