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Kyiv mayor accuses new military administration head of trying to ‘unbalance power’ in the city, asks Zelensky to intervene

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has published an appeal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing the city’s new military administration head, Tymur Tkachenko, of overstepping his authority. Klitschko urged Zelensky to “prevent the destruction of local self-governance.”

“As commander-in-chief, you are focused on the war and Ukraine’s defense, while people in your inner circle are engaged in political scheming. And these processes are becoming critical,” Klitschko wrote in his appeal.

He went on to argue that in Kyiv, “an attempt is being made to unbalance power and dismantle local self-governance.” According to Klitschko, the new military administration head is blocking key administrative functions such as the restoration of damaged buildings, compensation payments for residents, infrastructure repairs, and more. “This destabilizes the city’s management and threatens the capital’s essential services,” he wrote.

While Klitschko’s post does not mention Tkachenko by name, it asserts that the official is trying to exceed his authority and emphasizes that the military administration is a temporary body “responsible for defense and security, not a tool for usurping power.”

“The people of Kyiv elected their mayor, and I will continue to defend their interests,” he wrote.

On December 31, 2024, Zelensky replaced former Kyiv City Military Administration head Serhii Popko with Tymur Tkachenko, who had previously served as Ukraine’s deputy strategic industries minister.

On January 24, Tkachenko published a post saying that Kyiv needed change, as “residents are facing problems that require immediate solutions.” He promised to start by replacing the heads of the district state administrations, adding that he’d had a “productive conversation” with Zelensky.

Update: In response, Tymur Tkachenko has called Klitschko’s comments “very strange.” He claims to have had a “fairly productive conversation” with the mayor just a day earlier. “But now I get accusations — empty accusations — not assistance,” Tkachenko complained. “That’s why the military administration will do for Kyivians what the mayor’s office cannot. Unlike those who have been part of City Hall for decades, I am not inclined to do political theatrics. We will address the city’s problems and help Kyivians,” Tkachenko wrote on his Telegram channel.