---
title: "“Until the end of the war, I am definitely in Kharkiv”: Igor Terekhov declined a move to central government and called elections impossible under current conditions"
description: "In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov stated that he will remain in the city until the end of the war and does not plan to move to central government. He called holding elections under current conditions impossible due to the inability to ensure the democratic nature of the process."
date: 2026-09-18T06:50:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/terekhov-to-stay-in-kharkiv-until-the-end-of-the-war-and-declined-elections-en
tags: [kharkiv, terekhov, ukraine-war, elections, local-government, diplomacy]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# “Until the end of the war, I am definitely in Kharkiv”: Igor Terekhov declined a move to central government and called elections impossible under current conditions

![Ihor Tereshov against a light brick wall during an interview about refusing to move to central government and staying in Kharkiv until the end of the war](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/19/terekhov-ostanetsya-v-harkove-do-konca-voyny-i-otkazalsya-ot-vyborov/terekhov-ostanetsya-v-harkove-do-konca-voyny-i-otkazalsya-ot-vyborov-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Igor Terekhov stated that he will remain mayor of Kharkiv until the end of the war and will not move to central government
- Terekhov considers holding elections under conditions of war impossible due to the inability to ensure the democratic nature of the process
- The mayor pointed to the problem of participation by Ukrainians abroad and people without registration as a factor distorting the results
- Terekhov linked holding elections to the completion of the diplomatic process and the achievement of peace

Igor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv, categorically rejected the possibility of moving to a position in the central government before the end of hostilities in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. Responding to a direct question about the prospect of leaving his city post for a role in Kyiv, the mayor stated: “Until the end of the war – I am definitely in Kharkiv. Note that down.” In doing so, Terekhov affirmed his commitment to the city for the entire remaining period of the conflict, leaving no room for interpretation.

### Elections as a symbol of the postwar order

A separate part of the interview is devoted to the topic of holding elections amid an ongoing war. Terekhov expressed his conviction that under current realities it is impossible to ensure the full democratic nature of the electoral process or to guarantee all citizens the right to vote and to stand for election. “In my opinion – under such conditions, elections cannot be held. Unfortunately,” the mayor emphasized. According to him, elections should reflect the genuine will of the citizens, rather than be held for the sake of political ratings, and should become a symbol of the end of the war, forming a government that will focus on rebuilding the country.

### The problem of voter turnout and citizen participation

Terekhov separately drew attention to structural problems that make the electoral process unreliable under current conditions. These include the participation of Ukrainians abroad, as well as people without a registered place of residence. The mayor noted that with low turnout there is a real risk that the voting results will not reflect the position of society as a whole. He also emphasized that the political process should not provoke new internal confrontation: “Elections for the sake of ratings are not needed. Otherwise, there will be a problem.”

### The diplomatic process as a priority

Commenting on the timing of possible elections, Terekhov stated that he would not make them the main issue right now, since the diplomatic process is ongoing. In his view, the results of the negotiations must first be awaited and peace achieved, after which the opportunity for full-fledged elections will arise. The mayor also noted that society is changing, and along with it political priorities may change and new leaders may emerge, which further argues for postponing the electoral process until the situation stabilizes.

### Context: the mayor's tax initiative

It is worth recalling that Igor Terekhov previously proposed changing the approach to the taxation of socially significant goods. In particular, he advocated reducing VAT on basic food products and medicines instead of raising it. This initiative reflects the mayor's overall course of protecting socially vulnerable groups of the population amid the ongoing conflict and economic pressure on the region.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Is Terekhov ready to swap Kharkiv for a position in Kyiv – the mayor's answer](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chi-gotoviy-terehov-zminiti-harkiv-posadu-1789713974.html) - Первичный источник интервью. Подтверждает заявления Терехова о пребывании в Харькове до конца войны и невозможности проведения выборов.
- [Move to Kyiv: Terekhov outlined his plans for the near future](https://kh.vgorode.ua/news/sobytyia/a1291739-pereezd-v-kiev-terekhov-ozvuchil-svoi-plany-na-blizhajshee-vremja) - Вторичный источник, подтверждающий ключевые тезисы интервью о планах мэра.
- [“Everyone should decide that for themselves”: Terekhov spoke on whether displaced persons should return to ...](https://gazeta.ua/ru/articles/politics/_kazhdyj-dolzhen-reshat-eto-dlya-sebya-terehov-rasskazal-stoit-li-pereselencam-vozvraschatsya-v-harkov/1258930) - Контекстный источник по другой теме (переселенцы). Не содержит противоречий, но не является основным для данной статьи.
- [Kharkiv is developing cooperation with the “Santa Clara” monastery foundation](https://www.sq.com.ua/rus/novosti/05.09.2026/xarkov-razvivaet-sotrudnicestvo-s-fondom-monastyrya-santa-klara) - Не релевантен теме статьи. Не использован в тексте.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Does Igor Terekhov plan to move to a position in central government?
**A:** No. In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Terekhov stated: “Until the end of the war – I am definitely in Kharkiv. Note that down.” He categorically rejected the possibility of leaving the city before the end of hostilities.

### Q: Why, in Terekhov's view, are elections impossible right now?
**A:** Terekhov believes that under conditions of war it is impossible to ensure the full democratic nature of the process or to guarantee all citizens the right to vote and to stand for election. He also points to the problem of participation by Ukrainians abroad and people without registration, which may distort the results with low turnout.

### Q: When, in the Kharkiv mayor's view, can elections be held?
**A:** Terekhov links holding elections to the completion of the diplomatic process and the achievement of peace. In his words, the results of the negotiations must first be awaited, after which the opportunity for full-fledged elections will arise.

### Q: What did Terekhov propose in the area of taxation?
**A:** Previously, the mayor of Kharkiv proposed reducing VAT on basic food products and medicines instead of raising it, which reflects a course of protecting socially vulnerable groups amid the conflict.