Zelenskyy Says All Kyiv Leadership Candidates Turned Down Job

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that every individual he invited to lead Kyiv’s administration for the winter season has declined the position. Speaking to reporters on October 28, the president confirmed that no one accepted the offer to head a special management body for the capital.

Zelenskyy said he asked Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, referred to in the source as Koretskyi, to form a dedicated team of managers. The president did not define the specific powers this group would hold. He added that he is prepared to meet personally with whoever the team selects to make direct requests for solutions.

The president listed four former officials he consulted. These individuals include Vasyl Maliuk, the former chief of the Security Service of Ukraine. Zelenskyy wanted Maliuk to advise on security matters. The other candidates were Oleksandr Kubrakov, a former deputy prime minister for restoration; Volodymyr Groisman, the former prime minister; and Serhii Sukhomlyn, the former head of the Restoration Agency. Sukhomlyn explicitly rejected the offer.

Zelenskyy explained the reluctance by noting that candidates often avoid the role because the work involves difficult political discussions without public gratitude. He said, "No one wants to be involved, because afterwards no one will say thank you and others will constantly talk about politics."

The president also criticized Mayor Vitali Klitschko for the city's lack of winter readiness. This follows a statement Zelenskyy made on October 13, which labeled Kyiv the least prepared region in Ukraine based on national resilience plans. He has since begun consultations on security and management steps to address the gap.