Zelenskyy: All Kyiv Winter Chiefs Declined
The president told reporters that every manager he contacted refused to lead a new body tasked with preparing the capital for the cold season.
By Kenji Garnier ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Tuesday that every candidate he approached for the head of the Kyiv City Administration rejected the position. He described a search for a special management body to oversee the capital ahead of winter, a role that remains unfilled.
Zelenskyy told journalists at a meeting that he consulted various managers regarding the post. "I spoke with various managers about whether they want to head the Kyiv Administration. No one wants to," he said. The president identified several specific individuals he contacted for the role or for advisory positions within the new structure.
Among those consulted were Oleksandr Kubrakov, former deputy prime minister for restoration, and Volodymyr Groisman, a former prime minister. Serhii Sukhomlyn, the former head of the Restoration Agency, explicitly declined the offer. Zelenskyy also named Vasyl Maliuk, the former chief of the Security Service of Ukraine, as a desired addition to the group to advise on security matters.
The president explained that he has asked Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, referred to as Koretskyi in the report, to assemble a team of managers. Zelenskyy did not specify the exact powers this team would hold but indicated he is prepared to meet personally with whoever they select.
"I am ready to speak personally with whoever they name to me and make a request to them. Set up a council and work out solutions," the president said. He attributed the reluctance to the political nature of the job, noting that managers fear criticism rather than praise.
"I spoke with people from business, from other spheres of public administration. No one wants to be involved, because afterwards no one will say thank you and others will constantly talk about politics," he added. Zelenskyy also renewed his criticism of Mayor Vitali Klitschko, citing poor winter preparation. This follows a statement on October 13 that Kyiv is the least-prepared region in Ukraine according to national resilience plans.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
