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Zelenskiy accuses Kyiv mayor of negligence after civilian deaths Zelenskiy accuses Kyiv mayor of negligence after civilian deaths
(32 minutes later)
Three were killed including a mother and daughter, 9, by falling missile debris – eyewitnesses said a bomb shelter had not been opened in time Witness reports say bomb shelter had not been opened in time to prevent deaths of two women and girl
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has accused Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, and other city leaders of negligence after witness reports emerged that civilians had died earlier this week because a bomb shelter had not been opened in time.Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has accused Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, and other city leaders of negligence after witness reports emerged that civilians had died earlier this week because a bomb shelter had not been opened in time.
Three were killed, including a nine-year-old and her mother, by falling missile debris in the small hours on Thursday as they waited in vain. The city’s mayor responded on Friday saying the responsibility for the tragedy outside the shelter should be shared between them. Three were killed, including a nine-year-old and her mother, by falling missile debris in the small hours on Thursday as they waited outside the shelter. The city’s mayor responded by saying the responsibility for the tragedy should be shared between them.
“It is the duty of local authorities, a very specific duty, to ensure that shelters are available and accessible around the clock,” Zelenskiy said, adding: “It is painful to see the negligence of this duty. It is painful to see casualties.” Zelenskiy said: “It is the duty of local authorities, a very specific duty, to ensure that shelters are available and accessible around the clock. It is painful to see the negligence of this duty. It is painful to see casualties.”
Yaroslav, the husband of the third dead woman, Natalya, told Ukraine’s public broadcaster that the door to the shelter, a clinic in the city’s north-eastern Desnyanskyi district, remained shut after the alarm sounded. “People were knocking, knocking for a very long time. There were women, children, but no one opened it,” he said. Yaroslav, the husband of the second dead woman, Natalya, told Ukraine’s public broadcaster that the door to the shelter, a clinic in the city’s north-eastern Desnyanskyi district, remained shut after the alarm sounded. “People were knocking, knocking for a very long time. There were women, children, but no one opened it,” he said.
Their daughter, Yaroslav added, had to witness the death of her mother “with her own eyes” as a result. Other locals backed up the account, saying the guard responsible had failed to open the door, in the short period between the alarm being sounded and the debris falling to the ground. As a result, he said, their daughter had to witness the death of her mother “with her own eyes”. Other people backed up the account, saying the guard responsible had failed to open the door in the short period between the alarm being sounded and the debris falling to the ground.
Zelenskiy did not directly name Klitschko, the city’s mayor, or any other official but his emphasis on local authorities made clear he believed responsibility for the tragic failure lay on some levels with the capital’s officials. Zelenskiy did not directly name Klitschko or any other official but his emphasis on local authorities made clear he believed responsibility for the failure lay, on some levels, with the capital’s officials.
Kyiv has become the target for near nightly Russian missile and drone attacks since late April, with its inhabitants often woken up around 2am and forced to decide whether to hide at home or rush to a bomb shelters. An air raid has taken place each of the last six nights, although on Friday nobody was killed or injured. Kyiv has become the target for near nightly Russian missile and drone attacks since late April, with its inhabitants often woken up around 2am and forced to decide whether to hide at home or rush to a bomb shelter. An air raid has taken place each of the last six nights, although on Friday nobody was killed or injured.
Klitschko, however, fought back on Friday, releasing a statement in which he complained the budget for Kyiv air-raid shelters was due to run out at the end of June and that city district officials were appointed directly by Zelenskiy, nine out of 10 of which were members of the president’s political party. Klitschko fought back on Friday, releasing a statement in which he said: “This is about joint and fair responsibility.” The mayor complained the budget for Kyiv air-raid shelters was due to run out at the end of June, and said city district officials were appointed directly by Zelenskiy, nine out of 10 of whom were members of the president’s political party.
“This is about joint and fair responsibility,” the mayor said. Klitschko, who visited the crash site on Thursday, said that investigations would take place and police would patrol the city to ensure shelters were open. Police are also investigating the circumstances around Thursday night’s fatalities, the interior ministry said. Klitschko, who visited the site on Thursday, said investigations would take place and police would patrol the city to ensure shelters were open. The interior ministry said police were also investigating the circumstances around Thursday night’s deaths.
A spokesperson for the head of the city’s military administration, the Zelenskiy appointed Col Gen Serhiy Popko, told the Kyiv Post on Thursday that some people may have been able to get to the shelter where the three died. A spokesperson for the head of the city’s military administration, the Zelenskiy-appointed Col Gen Serhiy Popko, told the Kyiv Post on Thursday that some people may have been able to enter the shelter before the three died outside it.
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“The husband of the deceased woman said they tried to get into this shelter and it was closed. But according to the State Emergency Service officer who was on the spot, after the explosion, rescuers began to take people out of hiding [in the shelter]. That is, some people may have got there,” the spokesperson said.“The husband of the deceased woman said they tried to get into this shelter and it was closed. But according to the State Emergency Service officer who was on the spot, after the explosion, rescuers began to take people out of hiding [in the shelter]. That is, some people may have got there,” the spokesperson said.
However, Yaroslav said that people were knocking on the clinic’s doors but were unable to rouse the security guard. People feared that the bombing, a cruise and ballistic missile attack, could have gone on all night, and wanted safety, he said. Yaroslav said people were knocking on the clinic’s doors but were unable to rouse the security guard. People were afraid the bombing, a cruise and ballistic missile attack, could have gone on all night, and wanted safety, he said.