In a rare public disagreement, on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted the Mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, for what he said was a lousy job in setting up emergency shelters to help citizens left with no electricity or heat amid Russian assaults.

Ukraine has established thousands of so-called "invincibility centers" where people can access heat, water, internet, and mobile phone links.

Zelensky said "Unfortunately, local authorities have not performed well in all cities. In particular, there are a lot of complaints in Kiev ... To put it mildly, more work is needed."

Moreover, Zelensky also criticized Ukrainian officials who lied in their official reports, without mentioning any names. These remarks were seen as unusual, as the Ukrainian president had been showering officials with praise in the media.

"Please pay attention – the people of Kyiv need more support ... a lot of (them) have been without power for 20 or even 30 hours. We expect quality work from the mayor's office," Zelensky stressed.

Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kiev, is a 51-year-old former professional boxer who was elected as mayor in 2014. 

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