Russian Radio Host Says He Wants Kyiv To Become 'Uninhabitable'

A Kremlin aligned Russian radio host said he wants Ukraine's capital of Kyiv to "became an uninhabitable city."

The comments were made by Sergey Mardan, a presenter on the Komsomolskaya Pravda radio station, on December 31, according to a translation from the Russian Media Monitor, which monitors Russian TV and radio to combat "propaganda."

Speaking after a wave of Russian missiles were fired at Ukrainian cities, Mardan said: "In the morning, Kalibr [missiles] started to fly towards Ukraine. They've flown towards the scent of diesel fuel, towards the scent of Ukraine's armed forces."

He later commented: "I'm curious; will all the lights go out before the 31st or by [Orthodox] Christmas? How will the [slur for Ukrainians] celebrate New Year 2023? I would prefer that they celebrated it in total darkness.

"I would prefer it if Kyiv became an uninhabitable city. I would prefer that on the night on December 31st the unfortunate residents of Kyiv would go off towards the border with Poland, leaving this cursed city, this cursed place, behind them. Most of them will leave it forever."

The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7, nearly two weeks after it is marked in the West.

Russia has been bombarding Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the fall using missiles and Iranian-made drones, causing millions in Ukraine to lose power during the freezing winter.

Mardan claimed there is "no question that at some point" Ukraine's energy infrastructure will completely collapse, adding: "I really have no pity for them."

He said that, in Ukraine, the "the ability to survive will exist only in those places where Russian soldiers are stationed."

In November Mardan hosted a show on Russian state TV, where he suggested Ukraine could be "erased from the map of the world."

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said at least one person was killed in his city on New Year's Eve in the wave of strikes.

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said the Kremlin was trying to force Ukrainians to "celebrate the New Year in darkness."

According to Valerii Zaluzhny, the head of Ukraine's armed forces, 12 out of the 20 Russian cruise missiles fired at Ukraine were shot down by air defenses.

On December 31 Zelensky released a video to the Russian people, recorded in Russian, accusing President Putin of "hiding."

He said: "He's hiding behind you, and he's burning your country and your future. No-one will forgive you for terror."

On Friday Mark Hertling, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, told CNN that Moscow is running short of munitions for the war.

He said: "The truth of the matter is [that] Russia is attempting to gain partners with different countries, who have different types of ammunition that they can help supply this war.

"And I think Mr. Putin is realizing that he's quickly running out of the kinds of munitions he needs to continue this fight."

Newsweek has contacted Russia's foreign ministry for comment.