President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he had been unable to find a permanent head of the Kyiv City Military Administration: Volodymyr Groysman, Oleksandr Kubrakov and Serhiy Sukhomlyn had all turned down the offer. He attributed the difficulty of the search to political disputes surrounding the administration of the capital and the need to improve its preparedness for winter.
Briefly about the main points
- Groysman, Kubrakov and Sukhomlyn declined to take charge of the Kyiv City Military Administration.
- The President attributed the refusals to political disputes in the capital.
- The Prime Minister is to set up a special management team for Kyiv.
- The team must step up its winter preparedness and infrastructure protection.
- Andriy Tkachov is acting as head of the Kyiv City Military Administration.
The President spoke with officials, business representatives and experienced managers
Zelenskyy said that he had held talks with former senior officials, business representatives and managers whom he was considering for roles within the Kyiv City Military Administration. According to him, Sergey Sukhomlin He turned it down straight away as soon as he found out that the offer was for Kyiv.
The President attributed the reluctance of potential candidates to the risk of finding themselves at the centre of a political standoff over the administration of the capital. «Nobody wants to get involved, because then nobody will say thank you», he said.
Separately Zelensky considered the possibility of bringing in the former head of the SBU Vasyl Malyuk regarding the resolution of Kyiv’s security issues. On the agreed appointment The little one The President did not announce the appointment of the head of the KMVA.
The government should propose a separate management team for the capital
Due to difficulties in recruiting staff, Zelenskyy approached the Prime Minister Sergey Koretsky with a request to set up a special team for Kyiv. This team could include business managers, former government officials and management experts.
The President stated that he was prepared to hold talks in person with individuals nominated by the government. Among the team’s tasks, he cited preparing the city for the winter, strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure and ensuring the capital continues to function smoothly during Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy has highlighted problems with the protection of Kyiv’s infrastructure
According to the President’s assessment, some of the capital’s infrastructure remains inadequately protected, and resilience plans have not been fully implemented. He believes that political disputes are hindering cooperation between the central government and the mayor, Vitali Klitschko.
Zelenskyy denied having a personal conflict with the mayor and said he was keen to ensure Kyiv was prepared for a difficult winter. He claims that Klitschko may perceive the appointment of new officials as a possible attempt to replace him.
The President cited Kharkiv as an example of coordination between local authorities and the military administration. He also emphasised that the protection of Kyiv’s bridges should be a shared responsibility, regardless of the formal reporting structure of these entities.
Andriy Tkachov has been carrying out the duties of Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration since July
The post of Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration has been vacant since the previous incumbent’s dismissal Timur Tkachenko 16 July 2026. The following day, responsibility for carrying out the duties passed to the First Deputy Head of the KMVA Andriy Tkachov.
As early as 22 October, Zelenskyy had said that there were few people willing to head the administration, and he linked the need to strengthen the management of Kyiv to the threat of further attacks on the city’s infrastructure. As of 28 October, no new head of the Kyiv City State Administration had been appointed; the President is awaiting proposals from the government regarding the management team for the capital.
