Zelenskyy Strips Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov of Citizenship Over Alleged Russian Passport:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stripped Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov of his Ukrainian citizenship amid accusations that he holds a Russian passport. The decision, announced on Tuesday by Ukraine's SBU security service, marks a major shift in the leadership of the strategic Black Sea port city. The move comes as part of a broader effort by Ukrainian authorities to root out individuals with alleged ties to Russia, especially in key cities close to the front lines. With a population of around 1 million, Odesa is one of Ukraine’s largest cities and a vital logistics and military hub. In a message posted on Telegram, the SBU said Trukhanov’s Ukrainian citizenship had been “suspended” in accordance with a presidential decree signed by Zelenskyy. The security agency alleged that Trukhanov was in possession of a valid Russian international passport — a serious accusation given Ukraine's strict laws against dual citizenship, especially with Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “The Ukrainian citizenship of the mayor of Odesa, Gennadiy Trukhanov, has been suspended,” the SBU wrote. “He possesses a valid international passport from the aggressor country.” In response, Zelenskyy has appointed a military administration to temporarily govern Odesa. The president stated that security concerns in the region have been left unaddressed for far too long. Although he did not provide specific details, Zelenskyy said the SBU had briefed him on ongoing investigations into "Russian agent networks and collaborators" operating in Ukraine’s border and southern regions. Trukhanov, a former member of Ukraine’s parliament who has served as Odesa’s mayor since 2014, has strongly denied the allegations. In a video posted to his official Telegram account, he said: “I have never received a Russian passport. I am a Ukrainian citizen.” He vowed to continue performing his duties as elected mayor for as long as possible and announced plans to challenge the decision in court. The controversy over Trukhanov's alleged Russian ties is not new. Throughout his political career, he has been dogged by claims of holding Russian citizenship — allegations that have gained renewed traction on social media, where images of a Russian passport supposedly belonging to him have been widely shared. Once seen as having pro-Russian leanings, Trukhanov publicly distanced himself from Moscow after the 2022 invasion, pledging his support to Ukraine’s defense and military. The revocation of Trukhanov’s citizenship is part of a wider crackdown. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Zelenskyy also stripped two other individuals of Ukrainian citizenship: world-renowned ballet dancer Sergei Polunin, and former Ukrainian politician Oleg Tsaryov, who has been accused of collaborating with Russian forces. Polunin, who has a tattoo of Russian President Vladimir Putin on his chest, was born in Ukraine but obtained Russian citizenship in 2018. He openly supported the 2022 invasion and Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Tsaryov, long known for his pro-Russian stance, has been implicated in aiding Russian operations during the war. This recent wave of citizenship revocations signals a zero-tolerance policy by the Ukrainian government toward individuals suspected of collaborating with or supporting Russia.

NEWS