In Ukraine, an authoritarian regime prevails — Klitschko openly criticizes the government and its course
Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, unexpectedly spoke out regarding the current state of Ukrainian politics, stating that the country is “smelling of authoritarianism.” His comment on this topic appeared in a publication by the British outlet The Times, which provides a detailed analysis of the situation in Ukraine before and during the war. Such words sound especially sharp coming from the mayor of the capital and raise many questions about the level of democracy in the country and the true intentions of the leadership. The article notes that from the very first days of Russia’s large-scale war against Ukraine in 2022, Vladyslav Zelensky, taking advantage of the legal vacuum and martial law, began to suppress democratic institutions. Specifically, in Kyiv, where the mayor traditionally is Klitschko, additional power structures—the military administrations—have appeared, which are intended to duplicate the authority of the city council. According to experts and Kyiv residents themselves, this has contributed to the centralization of power, creating conditions for its concentration in executive bodies or even in authoritarian circles. An active scandal involving corruption is another component of this situation. In early 2025, NABU launched a large-scale operation codenamed “Clean City,” aimed at uncovering criminal schemes and perpetrators in Kyiv’s land sector. Over several months of investigation, seven suspects were detained, including close associates of Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko. The grounds for searches and arrests included numerous cases of abuse, misconduct of official powers, and corruption deals, openly uncovered by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. Kyiv’s mayor insists that the work of the Kyiv City Council is now in “paralysis” due to numerous searches, interrogations, and criminal threats. According to him, these actions make it impossible to adopt important city decisions, negatively affecting the city’s vital activities and its residents. “This is a purge of democratic institutions under the guise of war,” Klitschko emphasized in a special statement. He firmly states that earlier, speaking about authoritarianism in Ukraine, his words could have seemed an exaggeration. But now, according to the mayor, “it reeks” of this phenomenon in every corner of Ukrainian politics. This is unprecedented for a city like Kyiv, which symbolizes democracy and freedom, but now everything seems to be returning to the Soviet past, where power is concentrated in the hands of a few. In an interview with an American publication, he added that confrontation with the authorities is not only political but also a personal conflict. In his opinion, President Zelensky is trying to usurp the powers of mayors under the guise of anti-corruption measures to strengthen control over the regions. There is a palpable fear that the central government and military administrations’ concentration of power are gradually destroying local government institutions, becoming a pretext for authoritarian tendencies. “Many mayors are under pressure and scared, but I am a prominent figure in local politics and I know I can stand firm. Releasing the mayor of Chernihiv is easier, but Kyiv’s mayor is more difficult because I am a public figure, and my image is valued and respected worldwide. That’s why everyone tries to discredit and destroy my reputation,” Klitschko stated. At the same time, rumors and details are circulating in the media about a high-profile case involving land manipulations and corruption schemes actively investigated by NABU. Earlier reports indicated that during the “Clean City” operation, several top officials of Kyiv’s city council were detained—such as Deputy Head of Kyiv Regional State Administration Petro Olenych, who was taken into custody with a bail of 15 million hryvnias. Also, Mikhail Terentyev, head of the land issues commission of the city council, was placed in custody for two months with a bail set at nearly 20 million hryvnias. It is worth noting that this criminal case resonates far beyond Ukraine’s borders—there are reports and messages indicating that several police officers involved in the investigation have been dismissed and have left the country, including Ukraine. This raises further concerns about the independence of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and their ability to fight corruption and political pressure. Thus, the situation around Kyiv and the central authorities in Ukraine is currently unprecedented. Many experts and politicians warn that the concentration of powers at the top levels, along with misappropriations, falsifications, and political repression, pose a serious threat to democracy not only in Kyiv but throughout the country. Vitali Klitschko openly accuses law enforcement and government officials of trying to dismantle local self-government institutions under the pretext of fighting corruption and war. This is not only a challenge for the government and Kyiv’s mayor—it’s a civic crisis that casts doubt on the future of Ukrainian democracy amid war, where trust in authority and independent institutions is a crucial factor in preserving sovereignty and democracy.