"The city has already been fortified from the north, recalling Russia's prelude to full-scale invasion. As long as the war continues, the capital cannot consider itself secure," he said.
"Though there is no immediate threat of an attack on Kyiv, the city must still be ready for defense in any case."
"As of now, there’s no indication of offensive preparations from Russia," he added in an attempt to reassure Ukrainians.
Kyiv was one of Russia's primary attack directions on Feb. 24, 2022, during the onset of the full-scale invasion. The Kremlin anticipated that Ukraine can surrender within ten days of the initial strike, which aimed to bring the capital under occupation. In the early days following Feb. 24, Russian forces made strategic advances near Kyiv, which defense was directed by General-Colonel Oleksandr Syrskyi, who later became Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief.
The period of Russian occupation in the Kyiv region left harrowing scenes, particularly in Bucha, a suburb where authorities discovered 458 bodies, most showing signs of execution, torture, or beating. After Russian forces retreated from Irpin, another Kyiv suburb, roughly 300 civilian casualties were found, and 50% of the city lay in ruins.
By March 2023, Kyiv regional prosecutors reported finding over 1,400 civilian bodies as evidence of Russian occupation’s toll. By early April 2022, Ukrainian forces had fully liberated Kyiv’s surrounding areas, forcing a Russian retreat under pressure from the Defense Forces.
Despite Russia’s withdrawal, it continues missile and drone attacks on Kyiv to this day.