«People are afraid to speak up. But this is the mood in our regions», — Kim on his statement that people are more important than territories

Vitaliy Kim at the Forum of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities. Photo from the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration website

The head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, Vitalii Kim, explained his statement to The Independent, saying that in the Russian-Ukrainian war, people are more important than territory.

In a comment to the Kharkiv publication Dumka, he said that his statement was not about giving up territory, but about prioritising human lives.

@dumkamedia «I am saying what people are afraid to say out loud,» Vitalii Kim, head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, explained his interview with the British newspaper The Independent. 🤷‍♂ Recall that after this interview, there were speculations that Ukraine might agree to «territorial compromises». In particular, Kim said: «For me personally, victory means our 1991 borders, where people are happy and not dying, but everyone is very tired. Therefore, for the Ukrainian people, in my opinion, victory means simply the end of the war and some security guarantees for the future, so that our children can have the life we had before the invasion».#kim#mykolaiv#terekhov#kharkiv ♬ original sound — dumka.media

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The head of the region emphasised that he had voiced what many people think but do not dare to say publicly.

«I am saying what people are afraid to say out loud, that it is important. It is very easy to wait for the end of the war and victory in your kitchen, and, God willing, to have light and heat. And it is very difficult to do this there, for the guys in the east. As a frontline region, I say that territories are very important, but people are important. This is the mood in our regions,» said Vitalii Kim.

When asked by a journalist whether Ukraine should make territorial concessions in this case, he said that his position reflects his own assessment of the situation as the head of a frontline region.

«I don't have complete information on how the negotiations are going. I understand what the Russians are demanding, and I am expressing my opinion,» he clarified.

Recall that the head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, Vitalii Kim, stated that for most Ukrainians, victory in the war with Russia today means, first and foremost, the cessation of hostilities, the preservation of human lives, and the receipt of security guarantees.

Earlier, Vitalii Kim said in an interview that he believes the beginning of 2026 will be a turning point for ending the war in Ukraine. He shared that he expects many investors to arrive after that.