Davos 2022: Kyiv mayor Klitschko tells delegates 'we are defending you'

Mayor of Ukraine's capital plays air-raid sirens to political and business leaders

Vitali Klitschko, right, and his brother Wladimir speak to the World Economic Forum in Davos. EPA

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Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko used an impassioned speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos to hammer home Ukraine’s plea for support in its war against Russia, telling the rich and powerful: “We are defending you personally”.

Mr Klitschko played the sound of air-raid sirens to delegates as he told them the war was killing people about only 2,000 kilometres from the idyllic summit venue where political and business leaders assembled in Switzerland.

The former professional boxer, speaking after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had demanded tougher western sanctions on Russia, said at least 120 civilians had died in Kyiv and 200 apartment buildings been destroyed in the fighting.

“You in Switzerland never hear a siren,” he said. “Any second, a rocket or bomb can land in your building. It’s very close and every one of you has to understand it.”

Mr Klitschko said Ukraine was fighting to be part of the club of the world’s democracies against a Russian leadership which western officials have described as trying to keep its ex-Soviet neighbour in its sphere of influence.

He said the Kremlin saw Ukraine “as part of the Russian empire” and described President Vladimir Putin as having a vision to rebuild the former Soviet Union.

Gesturing at Davos delegates, he said: “We are fighting for our country, defending our family and children, but every one of you has to understand: we are defending you personally.

“We are fighting for values – democratic values. We are fighting, actually, for every one of you, and everyone has to understand that.”

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said more than 100 civilians had died in the capital. AFP

Mr Klitschko said four children were among the civilian dead in Kyiv and that another 16 had been taken to hospital with injuries. He said the situation was far worse in other cities less accessible to international media.

Russia refocused its invasion away from Kyiv after failing to capture the capital in the early weeks of the war. Moscow’s troops are now fighting for control of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions where fighting has raged for years.

Ukraine said on Monday it was fighting to keep control of the city of Severodonetsk, where Britain said Russia had deployed its modern Terminator vehicles in a battle for a stronghold still controlled by Ukrainian forces.

Russia said it had destroyed an ammunition depot in Luhansk. Both sides have reported heavy enemy losses, but given scarce details on their own casualties.

Mr Klitschko spoke at Davos on a panel alongside his brother Wladimir, who contrasted the deaths of civilians in towns around Kyiv with Russia’s claim to be carrying out a special operation against Ukraine’s military.

Photos of alleged massacre sites are part of a display at Davos called the “Russian War Crimes House”, previously the Russia House where delegates from Moscow would have attended the summit.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is taking place in Davos from May 22 until May 26, 2022. AP Photo

The Mayor of Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, addresses a news conference at the media village of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland. Reuters

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde and WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala join other dignitaries in Davos. EPA

Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz address a plenary session. EPA

It is the 51st annual WEF meeting to be held in Switzerland. EPA

Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, is interviewed by Bloomberg on the closing day of the Swiss summit. Bloomberg

European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, World Trade Organization President (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen take part at the panel discussion "Trade: Now what?" during the World Economic Forum 2022 (WEF) in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland. Reuters

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz leaves the stage after he addressed the assembly during the WEF annual meeting. AFP

Malaysia's finance minister, Zafrul Abdul Aziz, during a panel session on the closing day of the event. Bloomberg

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses the Davos assembly. AFP

Takeshi Niinami, chief executive of Suntory Holdings Ltd., during a Bloomberg television interview. Bloomberg

World Trade Organisation Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during the 51st annual event. EPA

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran. AP Photo

Princess Haifa Al Saud, the Saudi assistant minister for tourism. AP Photo

Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla. AP Photo

Seth Berkley, chief executive of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. AP Photo

Investor and philanthropist George Soros answers questions after giving a speech in Davos. AFP

Bill Gates attends a session of the 51st annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. AP

Roshni Nadar Malhotra, chairwoman of HCL Technologies, during a panel session on day two of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Bloomberg

Bob Prince, co-chief investment officer at Bridgewater Associates LP, speaks during an interview at the event. Bloomberg

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde waves as she attends the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. EPA

Marc Benioff, billionaire and chief executive of Salesforce.com, speaks during a panel session. Bloomberg

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab prepare to address the assembly in Davos. AFP

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry addresses a panel session during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. EPA

Police stand guard on a roof near where the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is taking place. AP

Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, speaking at the Averting a Global Food Crisis session at Davos. Photo: World Economic Forum Flickr

Jane Fraser, chief executive of Citi, at the Global Economic Outlook session at Davos. Photo: World Economic Forum

IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva and governor of the Bank of France Francois Villeroy de Galhau attend a session at Davos. AFP

Sadhguru poses for a photo with a guest at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Photo: World Economic Forum Flickr

Gita Gopinath, economic counsellor and director of the research department at the International Monetary Fund, speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Alpine resort of Davos. Reuters

A camera crew filming the World Economic Forum in Davos. Photo: World Economic Forum Flickr

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani addresses the assembly. AFP

(L-R) Fifa president Gianni Infantino, former Brazilian footballer Ronaldo with the World Cup trophy and former footballer and coach Jill Ellis in Davos. AFP

Wladimir Klitschko (L), Ukrainian former professional boxer and businessman, and his brother Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv and also a former professional boxer, address a WEF panel session. EPA

Swiss Police officers on guard on a street during the WEF annual meeting in Davos. AFP

Mark Carney, vice chairman and head of transition investing at Brookfield Asset Management, on the opening day of the World Economic Forum. Bloomberg

Ignazio Cassis, President of the Swiss Confederation and federal councillor, welcomes John Kerry, US special presidential envoy for climate, in Davos. EPA

A projection is displayed advertising the 51st annual meeting of the World Economic Forum n Davos. EPA

Participants walk through the Davos Congress Centre, the venue of the annual meeting. AP

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks by video at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Reuters

Klaus Schwab, President and founder of the World Economic Forum, delivers his opening speech at the event in 2020. AP

Swiss President Ignazio Cassis addresses delegates during the opening ceremony. Reuters

Ukraine’s prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova speaks by video during the opening ceremony of the Russian Warcrimes House, a photographic exhibition documenting atrocities alleged to have been committed by Russian troops in Ukraine. The display was organised by The Victor Pinchuk Foundation. AFP

Alok Sharma, president of Cop26, is interviewed by Bloomberg on the opening day of the forum. Bloomberg

Kristalina Georgieva, chairwoman and managing director of the International Monetary Fund, is interviewed by Bloomberg Television. Bloomberg

WEF director Saadia Zahidi is interviewed by Bloomberg Television. Bloomberg

A Swiss police helicopter flies over the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland. Reuters

The annual WEF meeting began on Sunday and will end on Thursday. AP

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, right, with Swiss ministers Simonetta Sommaruga and Guy Parmelin after a meeting held on the sidelines of the summit. EPA

Mr Habeck, Ms Sommaruga and Mr Parmelin discussed the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy supply. EPA

Ukrainian MPs Yulia Klymenko, Yevheniya Kravchuk, Anastasia Radina, Alyona Shkrum and Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze attend a media reception. EPA

Ms Shkrum and Ms Klympush-Tsintsadze have urged world leaders to step up sanctions against Russia. EPA

Arifin Tasrif, Indonesia’s Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources, with Simonetta Sommaruga, the Swiss Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications Minister. EPA

Google, which owns YouTube, is one of the businesses represented at the event. Reuters

Facebook owner Meta Platforms is also Davos. Reuters

The US software company Palantir Technologies has sent delegates to Davos. Reuters

Participants gather at the 51st annual WEF meeting. EPA

A robot on display in Davos. WEF delegates have gathered in person for the first time in two years. EPA

The four-day meeting of political leaders, top executives and celebrities is expected to focus on the Ukraine conflict. Bloomberg

A chef serves canapes during the WEF's welcome reception in Davos. Bloomberg

Russia was barred from this year’s forum — the first fully fledged Davos gathering since the earliest days of the coronavirus outbreak in January 2020 — while Ukrainian officials are there to lobby for more support.

Speaking at the war crimes display, Andriy Yermak, an adviser to Mr Zelenskyy, said Russia’s apparent impunity in killing civilians meant the “fate of Europe and the world is at stake”.

“Today a new world is being born in my country,” he said. “We are resisting an empire that sees genocide and crimes against humanity as routine, not taboo.”

A Ukrainian court on Monday found a young Russian soldier guilty of war crimes and handed him a life sentence, in the first such verdict during the three-month conflict.

A sergeant from Siberia, Vadim Shishimarin had admitted in court to killing a 62-year-old civilian, Oleksandr Shelipov, in the village of Chupakhivka in north-east Ukraine. Prosecutors said he shot between three and four bullets.

Mr Zelenskyy said Russian assets frozen in other countries should be used to pay for compensation for victims of the war.

“There must be a precedent of punishment for the aggressor and investment in a peaceful life,” he said.