Kiev Mayor Vasily Klitschko has teamed up with the editors of List of News directly from Kiev, which has been trying unsuccessfully to conquer the Russian army for several weeks.
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Vladimir Putin’s plan to raise the Russian flag over the city will not work, according to Klitschko. “We are ready to die, but not to surrender to Russian soldiers,” he said in an interview. And it calls on Western states to continue to supply arms to Ukraine and to boycott trade with Russia.
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He also appreciates the Czech aid and the visit of the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. And in the interview he also talks about his personal relationship with the Czech Republic. “As a child, I spent five years in the Czech Republic and I had a lot of friends there. I love Prague, I love the Czech Republic, it is partly also my home, “says Kličko.
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What is the situation in Kiev today after almost a month of Russian aggression against Ukraine?
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This morning, sirens sounded again and we faced another missile attack on Kyiv. A few buildings were destroyed. One person has died, two people are in critical condition, others are injured. Many people were in hiding, thank God.
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In the media, we see terror directed at civilians by the Russian army. What is the mood of the Kievans after weeks of fighting?
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They do not panic, they are angry and motivated at the same time. They don’t want to leave. Let me give you an example: yesterday I went to see a residential house destroyed by a Russian rocket, a man in his sixties came up to me and asked me what to do if he had nowhere to live. I told him that he and his family could evacuate him to the west of Ukraine, where he was safer, or to shelters underground. But he answered me, Please give me weapons, I am ready to fight and defend my city. This is the mood that prevails in Kiev.
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This war is not directed against military forces. We have examples from Kharkov or Mariupol of abducting, killing civilians, even women and children, destroying civilian buildings and entire Kiev suburbs where families live. People here have the motivation to answer and defend our city and country.
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We see many humanitarian activities around Ukraine around the world. Is it possible to deliver the help to you? Do you have water, food, electricity? What would you need in this regard?
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We now have the city under control, it is my responsibility to provide these services to the Kievans. We have electricity, we have heat, water and we have a reserve for a while. For example, the city of Chernohiv is only 150 kilometers from us and as a result of the fighting they have no water, food or electricity. So we have to prepare for all scenarios. That is why we very much appreciate humanitarian aid from the Czech Republic, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Even for the fact that many Ukrainians have found safety in the Czech Republic. In these difficult times, we see who our real friends are.
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How long do you have reserves?
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We do not know how long the war and occupation will last. We are ready to fight, to defend our country, but please do not forget that we are not only defending our country, but also the values we have in common throughout the European continent, such as human rights or freedom of speech. Now Russia wants to occupy Ukraine in order to re-expand its empire, but we also hear that it wants to restore the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union, of which you, as Czechoslovakia, were a part.
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Where will the Russian Empire stop? In Luhansk, Donetsk, Poland or the Czech Republic? It’s a perverted vision. That is why I say that we are not fighting for ourselves, but for everyone on this continent. Ukraine is the largest country. If someone in the Czech Republic thought it didn’t concern them, they would be wrong. Ukraine’s instability will bring instability to the entire European region.
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Next week will be a NATO-EU summit, what should be the report for world politicians in Brussels?
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In general, we need the support of Ukraine. We need political support. We must put pressure on the Russian Federation. Go to the demonstrations, block the Russian embassies.
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