Former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko defending Ukrainian capital Kyiv as mayor | Boxing News

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko says residents are even more determined to defend their country after Russian attacks on the city.

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Klitschko estimates there are nearly two million people still left in the capital, which is being squeezed by advancing Russian forces on several fronts.

Hundreds of thousands of Kyiv residents fled westwards as fighting neared the city’s outskirts, joining millions of others forced to leave homes behind under sometimes fierce bombardment.

Across Ukraine, thousands of civilians have joined local defence units to support regular troops.

Speaking from a ravaged city, Klitschko said: “We see the result of bombing, and civilian people dying.

“The spirit right now, everyone’s angry. I talk to the people and they don’t want to leave.

“This activity has brought much more energy to everyone and everyone understands they don’t want to leave. We want to defend our city. We want to defend our houses.”

“We have – right now – electricity, heating, gas, we have water,” he added, speaking in English.

He thanked countries for sending supplies to Ukraine, and estimated that Kyiv had enough vital goods to last another two weeks.

Ukraine and its allies accuse Moscow of an invasion that has caused a humanitarian catastrophe in which hundreds of civilians have been killed and millions more displaced