Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko recommended that residents of the Ukrainian capital who have the opportunity to live elsewhere temporarily leave the city. He made this statement in an interview with AFP against the backdrop of increased Russian attacks, as reported by [DW](https://www.dw.com/ru/vitalij-klicko-posovetoval-zitelam-kieva-vremenno-uehat-iz-goroda-izza-usilivsihsa-atak-rf/a-79606944). According to Klitschko, the security situation in Kyiv has noticeably worsened. > “Every day there are new reports of destroyed buildings, of injured and dead people, as the shelling of our city intensifies. Today it’s about survival,” he stated. The mayor warned that if the water supply system is damaged as a result of strikes, the city could face a significant crisis. At the same time, Klitschko emphasized that he is not calling for a complete evacuation of Kyiv. According to him, a mass exodus of residents would align with Russia's goals. > “The best scenario for him is for all of us to leave and give him our empty cities and the whole country,” the mayor said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv authorities continue to prepare for the winter period. According to Klitschko, the city is creating backup heating systems and forming reserves of fuel, drinking water, and food. However, he noted that even with such preparations, much will depend on the effectiveness of the air defense system. In recent weeks, Russian attacks on Kyiv have intensified. In addition to energy, transport, and telecommunications infrastructure, bridges across the Dnipro connecting the right and left banks of the city were targeted for the first time in early October. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the new tactics of Russian airstrikes, in his opinion, aim to force residents to leave Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities. Kyiv authorities are urging residents to remain prepared for possible emergencies, but they are not considering the issue of a complete evacuation of the capital.
