On Saturday, 17 October, a protest calling for the resignation of the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, took place outside the Kyiv City State Administration on Khreshchatyk. According to reports from Ukrmedia Kyiv correspondents, participants criticised the city authorities over preparations for winter, shelter provision, transport, budget spending and the preservation of historic buildings.
Briefly about the main points
- A protest calling for Vitali Klitschko’s resignation took place on 17 October outside the Kyiv City State Administration.
- The complaints against the authorities centred on the winter, shelters, the budget, transport and development.
- There were also a few supporters of the incumbent mayor near the Kyiv City State Administration.
How the demonstration on Khreshchatyk went
A protest outside the Kyiv City State Administration at 36 Khreshchatyk was announced for 12:00. As of 12:30, Ukrmedia correspondents reported that several hundred people were present.
According to journalists, participants held placards reading «Klitschko, step down», «Kyiv isn’t ready even for autumn» and «Glass bus stops won’t protect us from missiles and drones». The initiative involved, in particular, «March for Kyiv», «Spalah!» and the heritage conservation association «Spadshchyna», as well as other civic initiatives. It was joined by Dmytro Koziatynskyi and a member of the Kyiv City Council Alina Mikhailova.
What complaints did the participants raise?
The organisers and participants stated that, in their view, Kyiv was not sufficiently prepared for the autumn and winter months. They also raised issues regarding accessibility and the condition of shelters, the use of the city budget, public transport, the protection of historic buildings, and taking the community’s views into account when making decisions.
The issue of the capital’s preparedness for winter has already become the subject of public debate. On 13 October, the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv was the least prepared for winter, and the following day Klitschko In the Verkhovna Rada, he rejected the allegations and spoke of political pressure.
The mayor’s support and the legal limits of the claim
There were also a few supporters of the incumbent mayor near the Kyiv City State Administration. The day before, the «UDAR – Vitali Klitschko» parliamentary group had called for no mass gatherings to be held due to the risk of Russian air strikes.
The protesters’ demand does not automatically terminate the mandate of the elected mayor. His mandate may only be terminated prematurely in accordance with the procedures laid down by law, in particular by a decision of the Kyiv City Council where there are lawful grounds, or through recall by popular initiative. During martial law, local elections and referendums are not held.
The positions of mayor and head of the Kyiv City State Administration are legally distinct: the dismissal of the head of the Kyiv City State Administration is subject to a separate procedure. There is no confirmation in verified reports or publicly available statements by the organisers that the appointment of Mykhailova as mayor or of Koziatynskyi as head of the Kyiv City State Administration was an official demand of the protest.
