Russia’s war on Ukraine: “Putin needs Ukraine without a population”

Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko accuses Russia in an interview with the ARD genocide before. Russia wants a Ukraine without residents. But he is sure that Ukraine will win the war.

tagesschau.de: How did you experience these impacts this morning?

Vitaly Klitschko: This war is a great tragedy for all Ukraine, for millions of people. This is a tragedy for all of Europe and also for the Russian people. I am more than sure that one day the people of Russia will wake up and ask why global companies like IBM, SAP, Microsoft, Coca-Cola and McDonalds are leaving Russia and the Iron Curtain is coming back.

And the most important question will definitely be asked of the President and the government: why did my brother, my son, my relative, my acquaintance die? For what? This is a pointless war. And from today’s attack we see that it is a genocide, a genocide. Even a war has rules, and today innocent people died, women, children, old people. Putin needs the country without a population. He needs a Ukraine without residents.

tagesschau.de: We are standing here in the center of Kyiv. We see the destruction. We see the windows that blew out and they addressed the victims, the people who were killed. What does that do to you as mayor?

Vitaly Klitschko: I’m very worried. As mayor, I am responsible for the safety of the people. I am responsible that they have electricity, water and heating. And this is a big challenge not only for Ukraine, but for the whole world. We are all Russia’s hostages. Russians try to annex territories to then say they are part of Russia. And they threaten with nuclear weapons. It’s like piracy. I don’t know how else to describe it. That’s inhuman.

tagesschau.de: We see the attacks not only in Kyiv, but also in Kharkiv, where electricity and water lines have failed, in Lviv, in different parts of Ukraine. What do you expect now? What do your fellow mayors expect from the world, from Germany, from other countries?

Vitaly Klitschko: We always hear that this is a fight against Nazis, radicals and fascists. This is a special operation against the Ukrainian military. Is it a special operation against the military when missiles kill innocent people? That’s a lie. I am more than sure that the Russian government will bear the responsibility for such inhuman acts.

tagesschau.de: Do you have a specific request as to what can be done now to stop such attacks in this form?

Vitaly Klitschko: I have a big request to our partners: everyone should understand our desire in this senseless war. We want to be part of the democratic, modern European family. Russia does not accept this wish. It wants to build a new great Russian empire. We were in the Soviet Union. We don’t want to go back. Our future lies in the big European family with important values ​​such as human rights, freedom of the press, democratic values. We fight not only for our future, but also for these values ​​of the modern world. And we are sure that we will win this war because we are defending our country, our cities, our citizens, our children and our future.

The interview was conducted by Vassili Golod, WDR, currently in Kiew