Some of us long for the days when Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko was heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. There’s no shortage of fighting in Ukraine’s parliament and on its eastern flank, yet I wonder how they compare to Vitali’s fights.

 

Mayor Klitschko, like his fellow traveler, Philippine senator and current WBA welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, takes his political tasks seriously. To celebrate the holidays, the mayor released a video with New Year and Christmas greetings.

 

“Friends!” said Klitschko, who can be seen riding through the streets of Kiev on a quad bike dressed as Santa Claus, his long white beard flowing in the wind, smiling and waving at passersby, stopping to hand out candy to children. “We are changing the world around us ourselves. Let it be kinder, more beautiful and sincere! I congratulate you on the upcoming holidays. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!”

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Then, as a gift to the people of Kyiv on the upcoming New Year and Orthodox Christmas, Mayor Klitschko, again dressed as Santa, albeit without the white beard, took to the streets. Trailed by the press and curious onlookers, the mayor announced the official opening of traffic on the long closed but now renovated Shuliavsky overpass in Kyiv, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

 

“We began to dismantle the ‘tired’ bridge on March 17 this year,” Mayor Klitschko said. “And then they started to build a new overpass. In fact, in 9 months we built an overpass.

 

“Thanks to the builders who worked day and night, this bridge is already a modern bridge that will be operated for many years and will reduce the traffic load in our city. It is very good that we were able to open traffic as we promised—by the end of the year. Many people doubted, many people were skeptical, but I can say that we fulfill all the tasks that we undertake. The next step is that we also plan to open traffic between the left and right banks [of the Dnipro River] on the Podilsko-Voskresensky Bridge by the end of next year. It will also be a gift for residents of Kyiv next year. This is our symbolic gift for New Year's residents of the capital.”

 

Nobody asked Klitschko who he favors in the Wilder-Fury rematch.